This tribute examines the distinguished career and theological contributions of Rabbi Neil Gillman through the lens of a fifty-one-year friendship and professional relationship. The article employs a biographical methodology, drawing upon personal experiences, academic observations, and textual analysis of Gillman's major works, particularly *Sacred Fragments* and *The Death of Death*. The study traces Gillman's evolution as a scholar, teacher, and theologian within Conservative Judaism, highlighting his provocative use of "myth" to describe sacred narratives and his approach to theological uncertainty as a foundation for authentic Jewish engagement. Key findings reveal Gillman's significant influence on rabbinic education at the Jewish Theological Seminary, his role in major halakhic debates including women's and gay/lesbian ordination, and his unique pedagogical method of transforming teacher-student relationships into collaborative theological inquiries. The analysis demonstrates how Gillman's commitment to intellectual honesty and theological wrestling, rather than providing definitive answers, enabled students and congregants to develop their own authentic Jewish identities. The article concludes that Gillman's legacy lies not in establishing a unified theological system, but in modeling how to engage constructively with the tensions between tradition and modernity, creating what the author terms "Gillmanians" who continue the ongoing project of theological construction within Jewish tradition.