Written by Jospeh Elbaz

Following the extended weekend break for Hanukkah, the Student Council arranged a special event for Tuesday, the start of the new month. Instead of the usual bagel breakfast that students expected to receive on Rosh Chodesh, they were notified before the break about a barbecue that would be taking place on Tuesday during lunchtime. While some students did not like this, many appreciated the change and the opportunity to experience a new event at Valley Torah. Regardless, everyone went home for the Hanukkah break and returned on Tuesday morning.

Returning to school, many students, including me, forgot about the barbeque and expected a breakfast; however, after the lengthy Rosh Chodesh davening, Rabbi Semmel walked into the Sephardic Minyan and reminded all of us during the morning announcements. Following davening and breakfast, Gemara started, and everyone started learning before moving to our next classes. In these next classes, a smell of food filled the air, as the barbeque had already begun, and several students began cooking. We could not wait for this barbecue to start and began learning even harder to make the time pass by, and before we knew it, we were downstairs awaiting the barbecue to begin.

During the barbecue, students had a fun opportunity to talk with each other for the lunch period, which was lengthened to accommodate the barbecue. Students were cooking up on the grill, conversing with each other around the tables waiting for the food, and helping out with the serving for this barbeque to be special, and to commemorate Rosh Chodesh and the start of the new month, as well as the secular New Year. The moment culminated with the serving of the delicious food, and everyone sat down as they began to eat hot dogs and hamburgers. Both inside the lunchroom and outside on the tables, rebbeim and students were enjoying the moment and were happy to be back for this special Rosh Chodesh Lunch.