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Four young Jewish women join together to create “SIMCHA Zine”
By BERNIE BELLAN Four young Jewish women, three of whom are from Winnipeg, one from Toronto, have joined forces to produce a “zine” aimed at a Jewish audience, titled “SIMCHA Zine”.
The four are: Erin Meagan Schwartz, Adi Farage, (both of whom live in Winnipeg), Sophie Hershfield, (who is from Winnipeg, but currently living in Toronto), and Liesje Rolia (who is a Torontonian – and who is the graphic designer for the zine.
Erin Schwartz said she graduated from the University of Winnipeg “four or five years ago with an Honours B.A. in Women and Gender Studies”. She also has “a background in theatre, specifically improv theatre,” she added.
Adi Farage graduated from the University of Winnipeg in 2018 with a B.A. in Sociology. “I’m currently about one semester off from finishing my Bachelor of Social Work,” she noted.
“My background is in Jewish community building,” she said. “I’ve been involved with all sorts of Jewish and general organizations.”
Sophie Hershfield, (who, I recalled, we had profiled previously in this paper as a champion debater), did not go into law – surprisingly – much to her grandparents’ – (Earl and Betty Ann Hershfield) disappointment, she admitted.
“I graduated with an Honours degree in English Literature” (also from the U of W), she said. “I will soon be starting my Masters in English Lit at the University of Toronto,” she added. “I’ll also be doing a special concentration in Jewish Studies,” she noted.
In April, copies of the magazine were distributed to various individuals who had pre-ordered the magazine, but if you are interested in ordering a copy, information is given at the end of this article.
The “zine” is a bound publication, not stapled together – more like a book than a magazine. I wondered whether, considering how much that must have cost, whether the women had incurred a loss producing their first edition.
As it turned out, however, according to Adi Farage, “SIMCHA Zine” had enough pre-orders to actually cover the cost of production.
Recently, I spoke with the three Winnipeg women who are behind the project – Erin, Adi, and Sophie. I asked them what led them to want to create a magazine and what their plans might be for the future.
The three Winnipeg-born contributors to the project have known each other for years, and Liesje was introduced to Erin and Adi through Sophie.
Erin Schwartz said that they first began to talk about doing a magazine in the summer. It was “definitely a ‘labour of love’,” she said – “a passion project”.
Adi Farage explained that the idea for a magazine came about “as a silly joke. We were just playing with the idea and then we realized ‘We can actu-
ally do this’. It was a fun project, then we found out people were actually interested in it, then it turned into a real thing.”
Apparently I was one of the very first individuals to see the magazine – in late 2020, when I was sent a digital preview. At the time I was very impressed with the production values. What I saw was a 30-page blend of serious essays, poetry, and some striking visual pieces (although later I was told the print version is actually 60 pages so what I saw must have been 30 double pages).
In the introduction by Erin Schwartz, she notes that “This zine shares stories of collective identity, personal history, and starting again from where we are.”
One of the pieces, titled “The Smell of Chicken Soup”, is by Farrah Perelmutter, daughter of Toby and Irvin Vinsky, in which Farrah contemplates what being Jewish has meant to her, first as a daughter in a traditional home where Shabbat was an important part of her and her sisters’ lives, later when she married someone who came from a home where religious observance wasn’t important. (Ed. note: My first encounter with a young Farrah Vinsky was when she was a teenage model who was featured in our paper back in the 1980s.)
Other pieces are equally serious. I asked the women, therefore, whether it would be fair to describe “SIMCHA Zine” as a literary magazine?
Erin responded, “I think so.” She went on to explain that the term “zine” derives from “punk culture”.
A “zine”, she said, “is usually a small published work – it can really be about anything.”
“Part of the reason we wanted to do the magazine,” Erin added, “is that we wanted Jewish people to create and submit pieces of work that meant something to them and we didn’t want to be strict about what kind of Jewish content it was.”
As a result, while some of the content is quite identifiably Jewish, she explained, such as “a poem about BBYO”, “there are also poems inspired by whatever” being Jewish means to the contributors.
As far as how the zine found contributors, Erin said “We put out an open call for contributors and we asked a lot of people that we knew, but we also put it out on social media.”
Anyone interested in purchasing a copy of SIMCHA Zine should contact the zine’s online shop at simchazine.bigcartel.com
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Volatility, Hit Frequency, and RTP: Why the Number Casinos Advertise Is the Least Useful One
The return to player percentage looks clean as a casino data point. It gives players a neat number, usually around 94% to 97% for many online slots, and that number feels easy to compare. A 96.5% game appears better than a 95.2% game. The problem starts when players treat RTP as a forecast for their next 50 spins or one evening.
You may find the RTP listed on slot pages on a leading online casino in Ontario, but the number only tells part of the story. Two games can share the same RTP and create different sessions: one may return small wins often, while the other may drain a balance before one bonus round changes everything.
The RTP Trap
Return to player (RTP) measures the theoretical share of total wagers a game returns across a very large number of rounds. In plain terms, a 96% RTP slot returns about $96 for every $100 wagered in the long run. That does not mean one player who deposits $100 should expect $96 back.
The trap sits in the word “theoretical.” RTP comes from the game’s math model. It works across huge samples, not personal sessions. A player can finish far above that percentage, far below it, or with nothing left after a short run of poor results.
Is it useless then? No, RTP can still help. It gives a baseline cost of play. Lower-RTP games cost more on average than higher-RTP games. Still, once a game passes a reasonable threshold, the next question matters more: how does it distribute that return?
Hit Frequency: The Number That Shapes Session Feel
Hit frequency tells you how often a game produces a winning outcome. This often misleads players because any win can count. A spin that returns $0.10 on a $1 bet may still count as a hit, even though the player lost $0.90 in real terms.
A game can feel active because symbols connect often, sounds play, and the screen keeps celebrating small returns. The balance may still fall. In many modern slots, “win” does not always mean profit on the spin.
Hit frequency answers one practical question: how much silence can you tolerate? Some players dislike long dry spells. Others accept quieter sessions because they chase bonus rounds or larger payouts.
The educational site Get Gambling Facts gives a useful distinction: RTP concerns the percentage of money returned over time, while hit frequency concerns how often a machine stops on a winning combination.
Volatility: The Risk Label Players Need More Often
Volatility, also called variance, describes how unevenly a game pays. Low-volatility games tend to return smaller amounts more often. High-volatility games hold more value in rare events: bonus rounds, premium symbols, multipliers, or jackpots.
Here is where RTP becomes less useful on its own:
- A 96% low-volatility slot may give modest returns and longer play from the same balance.
- A 96% high-volatility slot may burn through funds quickly unless the player hits a strong feature.
- A progressive jackpot game may look exciting, but it often places more value on rare top prizes.
The same RTP can hide very different risk profiles. Players who ignore volatility often blame the casino or the game when the session follows its math design.
Why the Same RTP Can Feel So Different
Picture two slots with 96% RTP. Slot A pays small wins on many spins, has a modest top prize, and rarely creates dramatic balance swings. Slot B pays less often but offers a large max win and volatile bonus rounds. The advertised return matches, but the experience does not.
Slot A may suit a player who wants a slower bankroll drop and more regular feedback. Slot B suits someone who accepts sharper losses in exchange for a shot at a heavier payout.
A Better Way to Read a Slot Page
Most slot pages give players more clues than they notice. The trick is to read the details together rather than chase the highest percentage.
Start with RTP. If two games look similar, the higher number has better long-term value. Then check volatility. If the game uses terms such as high, very high, or extreme variance, lower your bet size or expect shorter sessions. Next, look at the paytable. A huge max win usually means the game saves a lot of its value for rare outcomes.
A sensible pre-play check looks like this:
- RTP: What is the average long-term return?
- Volatility: How rough can the session become?
- Hit frequency: How often will the game show any wins?
- Paytable: Where does most value sit?
To Conclude
Casinos advertise RTP because it looks objective, tidy, and easy to rank. Players should read it, but they should not give it more authority than it deserves. For long sessions, volatility may matter more than a small RTP difference. For comfort, hit frequency may explain the feel better than the payback rate.
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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.
