Features
Robyn Braha has been involved in dance all her life, but recently she’s found a new love: balloon building
By BERNIE BELLAN For Robyn Braha, dance has been an integral part of her life for over 40 years. A former dance director with the Chai Folk Ensemble, which she joined when she was 16, in 1997 Robyn also started her own dance company, known as “Beyachad, Robyn Braha School of Dance.”
“A bit of history,” Robyn wrote in an email she recently sent to us: “I danced with Chai for 8 years, travelled with them to Mexico for the Aviv festival multiple times, to Disney World, Israel and on tour through the NW USA.”
In an article written by Myron Love in 2000, he explained how Robyn developed her deep love for dance: “AIthough Chai and Israeli dance have been an important part of Braha’s life for many years, her dance range goes far beyond Chai. She began taking dance lessons at the Royal Dance Conservatory. For the past two years, she has been a Blue Bomber cheerleader.
“I did jazz dancing when I was younger,” she says. “A friend encouraged me to try out for the cheerleading squad. It has been a lot of fun. It’s a relaxing environment, and the other girls are wonderful. It is nice to have the diversity.”
In that same email Robyn had sent to us, she added that “We have been partnering with the Rady JCC, and the Lisa Cohen Israeli Dance Program, and offer Israeli Dance, Hip Hop, Lyrical and creative movement dance classes after school at the Rady JCC. We are about to begin our 25th season in September which runs through to April. The program offers classes from 2 years old to adult. Registration has now started for this year’s program.”
Robyn continues: “Over the past few years the program and travel opportunities have really grown as the kids performed at one of the largest Israeli Dance Festivals in Miami, for Disney World and Universal Studios and at Israeli dance festivals throughout Canada and of course for community events like Yom Ha’atzmaut.
“We really focus on creating a fun and inclusive dance environment, where we work with each dancer to advance their own skill level, with of course a great celebration at the end of the season recital. We have been performing our annual recitals at MTYP (with the exception of during Covid). It is amazing that we have dancers that started with us in that very first year that are still involved with the program now. We are very excited to bring back many members of our dance family to reunite at this year’s celebration.”
But Robyn’s connection to dancing, which led to frequent visits to Florida with Beyachad, has also added an entirely new dimension to her life, as she explains in her email: Building giant decorations of balloons for kids who are staying in Florida under the auspices of the “Make a Wish Foundation.”
As she explains, “I have been doing balloons for a couple of years, mostly for community events, like for the Rady or Gray Academy. It was a hobby that grew into something bigger over the past couple of years. I am still teaching dance and this year is our 25th anniversary so balloons come second to that.”
Robyn goes on to say that “A few weeks ago I took part in the biggest balloon build in the world in Orlando, Florida in support of the “Give Kids the World Village.” This is where critically ill kids stay with their families when they are granted their wish through the “Make a Wish Foundation” to visit Disney World.
“Give Kids the World Village is an 89-acre non profit resort in Kissimmee, Florida that provides week long cost free vacations to critically ill children and their families from around the world,” Robyn adds.
“My involvement was originally based on the balloon work that I do so I went to go and volunteer my services to help with this fundraiser. Through my involvement I had a couple of people from our community in Winnipeg reach out to me to let me know that they got to stay at that village when their kids were granted a wish from the Make a Wish Foundation, and for another family that they will be staying there in the near future when their child is granted their wish.
“Through the event we used 500,000 balloons, the biggest balloon build ever, and I was one of 14 Canadians. In total 300 Balloon artists from around the world took part. There was also a representative from Israel assisting as well.”
“I came across the event through the people I keep in touch with throughout the Balloon artist community around the world, and wasn’t sure if the event would take place given all the impact Covid has had, but it did, and it was incredible. I didn’t know about the community connections until I started sharing on Facebook the journey of the event. Every day I shared the progress we made as we turned an enormous room into a replica of the village. I got a lot of support from our community, positive messages, and cheering us on, which was wonderful.
“We built the balloons all week and then on the Friday the balloon world was open to the kids and their families who were staying at the village, and on Saturday is was open to the public to purchase tickets and all funds raised went back to GKTW.
“The space covered 30,000 sq feet, and had displays as high as 24 feet.”
Features
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.
Features
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.
Features
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.
