Mychal Springer created the Center for Pastoral Education to enable hospital chaplains of all backgrounds to learn from Jewish models for visiting the sick while incorporating the wisdom of other pastoral traditions. Springer began working as a hospital chaplain while studying for ordination at the Jewish Theological Seminary, learning the ropes from the nuns who were the seasoned professionals of the hospital’s pastoral staff. Although she found chaplaincy deeply rewarding, grounding her rabbinic work in compassion and human connection, she soon realized that she could have more impact by shaping hospital policies and training other chaplains. She became director of pastoral care and education at Beth Israel Medical Center in New York, where she worked on helping patients and their families deal with crisis, consider end-of-life issues, and create living wills. She returned to JTS in 2002 as associate dean and director of field education, training rabbinical students in the complexities of pastoral care, and in 2009 she founded the Center for Pastoral Education at JTS. In 2010 she was honored with the Women of Valor Award by Jewish Funds for Justice for her work in reshaping the role and reach of chaplaincy.