Every year, the Rams Cafe serves as an alternate to bringing your own lunch for the Hyman Brand Hebrew Academy (HBHA) middle and high school students. All proceeds from the Cafe go to the HBHA PTO (Parent Teacher Organization) in order to help in various economical ways. Not only does the Cafe support the school in many ways, but the students tremendously enjoy the options that the Cafe has to offer. Recently, there have been many additions and changes made to the Cafe, and the HBHA students’ opinions vary regarding the modifications.
The Rams Cafe is managed by PTO and staffed by HBHA parent and grandparent volunteers. Starting at 7:30 a.m., Cafe volunteers begin making preparations for the day. The Cafe officially opens at 8:00 a.m. and stays open until 1:00 p.m., Monday through Friday, while school is in session. The Rams Cafe is open to the public, but the majority of its customers are HBHA students. When the clock strikes 12:15 p.m., HBHA middle and high school students flood the Cafe; each one is debating over what they will order for lunch and is trying to move as quickly through the line as possible.
The current head of the Cafe, Andrea Levitan, explains that “a wider assortment of options are now available including, quiche, salmon croquettes, blintzes and an assortment of homemade salads and fresh fruit.” Students also have the option of purchasing Super Pretzels, which are a great addition to the cafe. “Soft pretzels are one of my favorite snacks! I am so glad that I can now buy them at the Cafe,” exclaims sophomore Kayla Goldenberg
Price increase at the Cafe has been a popular topic of discussion around HBHA. Students, including sophomores Amanda Sokol and Joseph Porter, have been more hesitant to purchase food at the Cafe because of the higher prices.
Sokol says, “Knowing that the money raised from the cafe goes back to the school makes me less hesitant, but the prices still seem to be a little unreasonable.” Although prices at the Cafe have increased, “it is understandable considering the need for the food to be kosher and for the school to make money.” admits Porter.
There have also been many positive changes to the Cafe, including a new refrigerator from which students select drinks, a “STARCARD,” also known as a punch card that students can use rather than carrying around lunch money, and Spanakopita Monday. “Thanks to the help of several volunteers the Cafe is proud to bring a meat lunch to the HBHA,” says Levitan. Along with this, there will be opportunities to win a hot lunch of the day through the Rams Cafe Facebook page, which will be fully functioning beginning 1 Nov. Levitan adds, “It is important that the community knows where they can attain an excellent kosher meal.”
Although price increase was a let down for the Cafe, It is still packed with hungry students daily, showing that the pros outweigh the cons. The Rams Cafe continues to be successful in providing tasty lunches for the HBHA students and raising money for the school.
