This preface introduces a special issue of Conservative Judaism dedicated to honoring Professor Neil Gillman upon his retirement from the Jewish Theological Seminary (JTS). The author, Martin S. Cohen, employs a personal narrative methodology, drawing upon his decades-long relationship with Gillman beginning when Cohen was a first-year rabbinical student and Gillman served as dean of the Graduate Rabbinical School. The piece documents Gillman's pivotal role in mentoring students through academic and spiritual crises, particularly his ability to support those struggling with questions of faith and intellectual integrity in their rabbinical formation. Cohen traces Gillman's scholarly trajectory, referencing key publications including Sacred Fragments (1992) and The Death of Death (1997), while emphasizing his sustained editorial contributions to Conservative Judaism journal. The methodology combines memoir with institutional history to illustrate Gillman's multifaceted influence as educator, scholar, and mentor. The main findings highlight Gillman's distinctive pedagogical approach of challenging and encouraging students simultaneously, his editorial stewardship that promoted creative and unconventional scholarship, and his broader impact on Conservative Jewish intellectual discourse. The preface concludes that Gillman's career represents a synthesis of rigorous scholarship and transformative teaching that has profoundly shaped both individual careers and institutional culture within Conservative Judaism.