Paramus—Yavneh Academy’s Middle School hosted former NFL player Shlomo (Alan) Veingrad recently. After a career with the Green Bay Packers and Dallas Cowboys, including a Super Bowl ring, Veingrad began his journey towards a life of Torah and mitzvot.

Veingrad spoke inspiringly about living life with a passion for fulfilling one’s goal, about taking life one step at a time, and about how every Jew is responsible to take care of every other Jew, something he learned when he first got to Green Bay and was introduced to the Jewish community there.

Yavneh’s students had the opportunity to ask Veingrad about his experiences, and their questions produced several more valuable lessons and moments of inspiration. After his formal presentation, Veingrad sat in on a Gemara class for a few moments, driving home the point that what is really important in life is how serious we are about Torah and mitzvot.