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Dear Dad…Julius Morry says his son Jeffrey taught him that heirlooms are all about familial love.
By JEFFREY MORRY “Can you tell where it was broken?” This was a common refrain from you throughout my childhood. In 1970, when I was nine, you left your job as a hospital administrator in Winnipeg with plans for our family to relocate to Los Angeles. But the Byzantine paperwork and looming bills for a family of six made you realize that staying in Canada and turning a hobby into a job made the most sense.
Plus, there was the concern about me and my brother possibly being drafted. So, with a specially built workshop in our basement, you embarked on what became a 50-years-and-counting career in artwork restoration.
Though you inherited your talents from your artistic Russian mother, who had a hobby repairing damaged pieces for friends, you took it to a hallowed level. I understood the degree of your skill by how often my grandmother ordained you (in Yiddish) as having goldene hent, golden hands.
You could not have picked a better time to start your business. It was a period when collecting decorative arts such as figurines, carvings, china, dolls and glassware, many being antiques, was very popular. On a regular basis, you would call me down to your workshop, present a piece you had repaired, and ask if I could tell where it had been broken.
My childhood and teenage years were filled with customers appearing at our doorstep with a mesmerizing array of pieces from around the world. Most were smashed beyond recognition. Insurance and moving companies, auction houses, art stores and galleries, personal collectors and museums kept you buzzing with work. I soon came to know exotic names like Lalique, Lladró, Waterford, Swarovski, Hummel, Wedgwood and the Royals—Doulton, Albert and Worcester.
Your workshop was like a private art gallery with regularly rotating pieces. The shelves were packed with everything from tapestries to paintings to pocket watches to stuffed animals. And so many crucifixes. It struck me only when I was older how interesting it was that my Jewish father restored probably hundreds of crucifixes over the decades.
I would occasionally scurry down to see what wondrous new pieces had arrived. You would be sitting at your workbench surrounded by walls teeming with perfectly organized tools and tricks of the trade. Though you delivered the work with your hands, I knew it was your eyes, heart and intellect that mapped the process.
There was one category of pieces that had the greatest impact on me. Inuit soapstone sculptures and whalebone carvings were a common sight in the workshop. As I matured, I found myself increasingly drawn to these works of art, which I felt gave me powerful insight into the essence of the North.
The one-time customers resonated the most. Sometimes I would quickly peek from the kitchen to the front door or catch pained whispers through my bedroom door. I could hear the pleas for a stay of execution made to you as judge in the court of last resort. There were the older women clutching treasured dolls of their childhood. Or the frantic teens begging you to repair a piece damaged during a forbidden house party. Or people, many of them immigrants, with the remains of broken family heirlooms. Many of these items had little monetary worth. But they were priceless in their emotional value, bonds to past loved ones, inviolable connections to family memories and their legacy for future generations. Your wizardry perfectly restored all, often creating missing parts from thin air. I never tired of seeing the tears of joy of those customers. For some, you plucked back their youth from old age.
Your career opened up my young mind to the world and taught me that people, not things, are the real treasures: the only meaning of possessions is the one that we ascribe to them.
As for your continual questions to me about where a piece had been broken, I could never tell.
You’re now 88 and have restored tens of thousands of items. While surgeons repair broken bodies, you have operated a one-man hospital mending shattered souls, reinstating family links, returning lost dreams and restoring vanished memories.
This story originally appeared in the December 2021 issue of Maclean’s Magzine. Reprinted with permission.
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The Popularity of Simpler Slot Games in 2026: Review From Casino Online CrazyTower Experts
Online casinos now fill their libraries with numerous video slots that have dozens of functions, long bonus rounds, complex mechanics, and so on. Interestingly, despite this huge range of modern options, many Canadian visitors at sites like Casino Online CrazyTower here https://crazytower.com/ca/ no longer want complicated gameplay that requires constant attention and long explanations.
Simpler slots now attract a wider audience because they save time and create faster sessions. So, let’s figure out why this change happened and reasons for the popularity of simpler machines.
Why Many Players Are Returning to Basic Gameplay
Modern websites like Casino Online CrazyTower pushed complex video slots for years, but many people now prefer classic formats again. Simple gameplay has fewer interruptions and is simpler in terms of budgeting, which is important when you gamble for fun.
These are a few potential reasons explain why simpler slots became popular again in 2026:
- Faster rounds. Symbols appear quickly, and rounds continue without long animations or extended bonus sequences.
- Easier controls. Most classic slots have simple menus and familiar layouts that don’t confuse new visitors.
- Smaller feature lists. Simple slots usually have standard wilds, scatters, and multipliers instead of dozens of random mechanics.
- Better session flow. People spend more time on gameplay instead of reading explanations about symbols and special functions.
- Lower visual pressure. Simpler slots use calmer designs and shorter effects that don’t overload attention.
Classic gameplay also suits mobile devices better because shorter rounds work well on smaller screens. Plus, many visitors now prefer games that start instantly and explain their mechanics within seconds.
Features That Make Simpler Slots Appealing
Simple machines at Casino Online CrazyTower and similar websites continue to attract attention because they have a high gameplay speed. Many classic titles also replicate older casino machines that people already know from physical casinos.
However, these aren’t the only factors that attract gamblers. So, check out this list:
- Short bonus rounds. Free spins and multipliers finish quickly instead of interrupting gameplay for several minutes.
- Common and standard paylines. Traditional layouts help people understand payouts without long explanations.
- Faster loading times. Simpler graphics reduce waiting time on phones, tablets, and older computers.
- Stable gameplay pace. Long cutscenes and constant pop-up notifications don’t interrupt the session.
- Traditional themes. Fruit symbols, bars, sevens, and classic casino designs still attract large audiences.
- Smaller menus. Important information appears immediately without complicated tabs or hidden sections.
Modern video slots often contain too many mechanics in a single game. Developers now combine expanding reels, random modifiers, mission systems, tournaments, and multiple bonus levels in one title. Many visitors lose interest because gameplay turns repetitive and overloaded with constant interruptions.
Compare this to a session when you get results immediately and aren’t interrupted. These still have free spins and even mini risk games, but not as loaded as innovative titles.
Conclusion
Simple slots usually create better replay value because people understand the mechanics immediately. Common and standard gameplay doesn’t cause frustration and allows faster decisions during casino sessions.
Many classic slots also function better during short breaks because rounds finish quickly without long bonus interruptions. That’s why simpler slots became popular again at many casinos, including Casino Online CrazyTower and such.
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Football: Which team from Israel could we see in the European Cup next year?
With Europe’s club competitions heading into another summer of drama, Israeli football is on the table. The domestic season is done, trophies picked up and now a new batch of clubs can now try their luck against continental competition.
What are the prospects of these teams in Europe next year and who are they? It all starts with Hapoel Be’er Sheva’s title, Maccabi Tel Aviv’s cup win and the competition of the best Israel football teams against each other, as fans look to Champions League on Wincomparator to see what teams are in contention.
How Israel’s clubs qualify for Europe: The 2026-2027 spots
Qualification to join the European elite hinges on the 2025-26 Israeli Premier League table and the Israel State Cup. Israel will have one Champions League spot, one Europa League spot, and two Europa Conference League spots in 2026-27.
That means the league winner gets into the Champions League, the State Cup winner goes on to Europa League qualifying. The next eligible league’s finishers take the Conference League slots. It’s a good model as it provides a tangible reward for consistency at home, while at the same time demonstrating the importance of each playoff game. A top three finish can help a club’s summer, bring in better players and provide fans with a European tour before the next season’s start.
The Champion’s quest: Israel’s hope for the Champions League
Meet the 2025-26 Premier League winner: Hapoel Be’er Sheva
Hapoel Be’er Sheva have qualified for Israel’s Champions League after their Israeli Premier League title win with 79 points scored in 36 games. Ran Kozuch’s side closed the gap on the three-point lead but also showed significant strength in the attacking phase to secure a win in a crucial championship round with Beitar Jerusalem.
Their challenge also comes as their reward. Hapoel Be’er Sheva are only expected to begin in the second round of the Champions League, not the league round. To get to the main competition they need to pass through the first round of the other national champions in two-legged ties, and their seeding, fitness and sharpness in early-season competition could be a game breaker.
While the club has experience in Europe and a rabid Turner Stadium following, the path is tough. It takes one bad outing to wipe out a year’s worth of work. However, as long as the bedrock remains the same and they are able to put some depth into the team, the champions have the balance to fight.
Battling in the Conference League: Israel’s other European contenders
The State Cup winner and league runners-up
Maccabi Tel Aviv go to Europe after the Israel State Cup final 2-1 win against Hapoel Be’er Sheva at Teddy Stadium, Jerusalem. That win denied Be’er Sheva a home double, and also meant that Maccabi got into the Europa League qualifying, where they were put in the second qualifying round thanks to access-list rebalancing.
The Conference League qualifiers are Beitar Jerusalem who finished second in the league with 76 points, and Hapoel Tel Aviv who finished fourth with 60 points. The importance of Maccabi Tel Aviv’s cup victory lies in the fact that it unlocked the rest of the way in the league. Beitar’s season was particularly impressive as they scored 78 goals and lost just four matches. On the other hand, Hapoel Tel Aviv managed to remain above Maccabi Haifa in the final table standing, earning them a well-deserved European berth.
The Europa Conference League is no consolation prize for these clubs. It’s a realistic platform. Although there are still a few hurdles to navigate, Israeli sides consider this competition to be the most realistic one for European football in the autumn.
A look at past successes and future hopes
This group has reason for belief, based on recent history. Israeli teams can make significant nights in Europe, and Maccabi Haifa did just that, when they made it into the Champions League group stage in 2022-23, and then impressively took out Juventus 2-0 in Haifa.
There is significant monetary and sporting worth in qualification. A UEFA cup can make a difference to a club, as can better attendance, TV coverage and recruitment opportunities. The early storylines will be the draw for Hapoel Be’er Sheva in the Champions League, as well as Maccabi Tel Aviv in the Europa league and the two Conference League routes — Beitar Jerusalem and Hapoel Tel Aviv. They all have tricky paths to follow, but all four provide Israeli football with a realistic European presence next summer.
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At one time one entire block of McAdam Ave. was almost totally Jewish
This story originally appeared in a November 2014 issue of The Jewish Post & News:
1994 McAdam Ave. reunion (names inside story)By GERRY POSNER (This story first appeared in November 2014.)
Once upon a time when life was simpler and gentler, there was a street in the north end of Winnipeg which was like all other streets in the city except in one significant way. Everyone, but for one family, living on McAdam east of Main Street was Jewish.
