RA: A Super Bowl XXVII championship ring as a member of the 1992 Dallas Cowboys is Alan Veingrad’s most memorable keepsake……..But that part of his life is over. His 86 games as a professional athlete were just a small part of the man and father he is and the one he can become. His everyday routine is vastly different — consumed with a prayer book, a yarmulke, a head covering, and Tallis, a prayer shawel, customary Orthodox Jewish attire.A secular Jew in his youth, Veingrad is now an Orthodox Jew, which means he is constantly studying, praying and asking questions about his faith.”I wanted to elevate myself and I finally dialed in on it,” he said.

Life without sports is Veingrad’s calling now. A motivational speaker, he travels to national and local Jewish organizations, spreading his knowledge. Veingrad will be at the Liorah Greenberg Community Jewish Center in Litchfield on Friday night and Saturday morning and at a breakfast Sunday at the Dolce Heritage to share his views of sports and religion.

“This is another step in this tremendous journey of life,” said Veingrad, 42. “I go to shul, celebrate the Sabbath and am kosher 100 percent.”

To those people, including rabbis, who ask whether he wishes he had found his calling earlier in life, before the NFL, Veingrad responded that it was just part of the life process………………………..After six seasons, including the Super Bowl in 1992, football was out of his system. Veingrad retired, opting for his religious faith to carry him on.

“It was a very difficult change and transition, but I like exciting and new things,” he said. “I know people are generally not comfortable with change. I am not asking people to follow my way, but I do ask them to challenge themselves and grow as a person.”

The father of two girls and a boy, he believes that football taught him plenty of life’s lessons, which also apply to his religion…..

“In football, I learned about dedication, work ethic, being a team player and thinking about other people,” he said. “The last thing football taught me is about change. Teams are always changing your technique or strategy, so you don’t become stale and mundane.

“It is the same with any career. You always need to study up on your products and keep up with the times,” he said. “I love football, but now, my life is even better because I am able to reach out and help somebody else.”

With violence flaring around the world, especially in the Middle East, Veingrad would like to see everyone have a peaceful existence and continue to educate about religious questions people may have.

“When I was in college in Texas, I was the only Jew on the team and the only one in the school and my teammates would always ask me questions about the High Holy days: Why do we fast on Yom Kippur? Why does Hannukah last eight days?

“I would call home and my family didn’t have the answers, either,” he said.

That made Veingrad determined to explore his faith further and ask those questions of those people who did know.

“When I was in the NFL, players would ask me why is education so important to Jewish people,” he recalled.

Veingrad’s response was simple. “Children are taught the value of a dollar and to have a (meaningful) career,” he said. “Jewish people are always positive and see the glass as half-full and not as half-empty.”