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Veingrad moves from NFL teams to the ‘Jewish’ team |
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Written by Jack Borenstein
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Tuesday, 18 November 2008 |
THORNHILL – Mention the name Shlomo Veingrad and most people would probably shrug. Mention the name Alan Veingrad and some sport fans may recall he was a pro football player. It’s the rare individual who would know Alan and Shlomo are the same person.
Now, about 125 more people definitely know this after hearing the 45-year-old Veingrad address them last Sunday at Chabad Lubavitch of Markham.
The 6-foot, 5-inch former NFLer was born in Brooklyn and grew up in south Florida. He followed his older brother into sports and played football in high school. He was team captain in his junior and senior seasons at East Texas State, achieving All-Lone Star Conference and small school All-American status.
“I never heard an antisemitic remark; Texas was the ‘Bible belt’ where people respected religion.”
Veingrad signed as a free agent with the Green Bay Packers in 1986, and started 16 games that season at offensive right tackle.
“I remember being frequently asked what’s with your (Jewish) people running Hollywood, financial services and being lawyers, doctors and player agents.”
He received a phone call in his rookie season from a local Jewish businessman, named Lou Weinstein.
“Lou invited me to a country club. He said he would arrange whatever I needed, like a car or apartment. He added it was ‘our job as Jews to reach out, inform and share with other Jews.’”
After five seasons in Green Bay, the Dallas Cowboys wanted Veingrad.
“I liked Lambeau Field’s soft grass and cold weather. Dallas had artificial turf and I was uncertain about playing for Coach Jimmy Johnson.”
However, when his agent Steve Weinberg advised there were more eligible Jewish females to date in Dallas than in Green Bay, it clinched the deal for Veingrad.
He started three games in 1991 but was relegated to back up tackle and guard duties in 1992 when the Cowboys won Super Bowl XXVII.
“Ownership didn’t care where you were drafted, or your religion, as long as you were ready to compete hard every Sunday.”
Games and practices took their toll on Veingrad, who retired after the 1992 season.
In Fort Lauderdale, he saw his cousin Jonathan Rubin, a radiologist, to check out his knee problems.
“Jonathan invited me and my family to a Friday night Shabbat meal with my four cousins. He did the blessings and said hamotzie. It was amazing to see the big challah, matzo ball soup, brisket, chicken and apple pie that were set on the table.”
When his cousins asked Veingrad about the Torah portion that week, he said he didn’t know.
“I said I would go to one Torah class to see what it was all about,” and he went to the home of Rabbi Moshe Gruenstein. “It was an hour lecture and for the first 59 minutes I felt nothing. Something happened next that felt like being hit by former defensive end Bruce Smith. I understood that all materials for success and happiness were in the Torah, which became my Jewish ‘playbook.’”
While taking Torah classes the next several years Veingrad met Rabbi Schneur Kaplan of Ft. Lauderdale, who invited him to Israel in 2004. “I had to buy a kippa and tzitzis for the trip and continued wearing them when I returned to the US. When my family asked why, I told them it was because ‘it made me feel good.”
He talked to the Chabad Markham audience about his father who rarely attended shul but was always proud of his son’s NFL career.
“My dad told me he was prouder of me wearing a yarmulke and tzitzis than anytime I was a pro player, which meant so very much to me.”
Veingrad spends half his time in Coral Gables with his second wife and combined five kids, working as an account executive for a commercial real estate lending company. The other half is spent speaking to Jewish groups and organizations across North America.
He said current Jewish NFL players should connect with a rabbi in the city they’re in.
“If they can say Moideh Ani (I am grateful) when they wake up every morning, it will give added meaning and preparation for their day. Not everyone can be the quarterback or star player. Not every Jew can be the gabbai or the rabbi. There’s camaraderie being among fellow Jews to connect to in the community.”
After signing some autographs, showing his Super Bowl ring and engraved Rolex watch that running back Emmitt Smith gave all Cowboys linemen for his 1992 NFL rushing title, Veingrad davened Ma’ariv with congregants – as impressive a display of Jewish ‘team’ togetherness as any other Sunday in his NFL career.
Jack Borenstein can be emailed at
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Last Updated ( Wednesday, 26 November 2008 )
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