The ShivahThe Shivah

Game Details:  Mystery, 2006

Links:  Moby Games, Steam, Adventure Gamers

Walkthrough Updated:  3/1/2008

Suggested Listening:  Caught Up in the Panic (Ash 25)

The Shivah is a third-person adventure from Wadjet Eye Games. You play as Russell Stone, a rabbi at a poor synagogue in New York City, who is struggling with his religion and his place in the world. There are 10 Steam Achievements, all documented in the walkthrough below. One of these requires always selecting the Rabbinical dialog choice (except for with one character), so plan to do this from the start of the game if you want the achievement.

Murder

B'nai Ben-Zion

In your room after the service, there will be persistent knocking on the door. Open the door and Sam Durkin will enter. After your talk, leave your room and talk to Josh. Back in your room, use your computer - you need a username and password. Look in your inventory to see your business card, which gives you the username "rstone". Click on the clue button for your password, then look in the Yiddish dictionary in your inventory to get your password "yenta".

Read all the mail, then search for "Jack Lauder" to get his address and congregation name. Now search for "Beth Tikvah" to get the address of his synagogue.

Investigations

Lauder Residence

Talk to Mrs Lauder (choose anything other than Rabbinical responses when talking to her) Heflekh. You will learn about the murder and their clothing business.

Sharming Fashion

Use the computer - you need a password. Thinking back to your email from Josh, you should try all relevant surnames, including "sharma". Look through the ledger and mail to get more information.

Beth Tikvah

Look at the photos on the wall, and you will see the name "E Goldberg". Go through the door and talk to Rabbi Zelig, but he can't help you.

B'nai Ben-Zion

Go through the door to your room. Use your computer to search for "Ethan Goldberg". Now in your inventory, combine the clues JDM and Joe DeMarco Klug.

Lauder Residence

Talk to Mrs Lauder about Ethan and Joe.

Beth Tikvah

Go through the door and talk to Rabbi Zelig about all of your clues, then comment on the "various oddities" - you will be given the Rabbi's business card before you leave Mutshe.

B'nai Ben-Zion

Head through the door to your room. Look at the new business card in your inventory, then use your computer to search for "Amos Zelig", to find out about his wife and dog. Log out, then login with username "rabbiz". Click on the clue button, and enter his pet's name "dodger". Read all of his mail.

Confrontations

Paddy O'Hare's

Save your game if you want to play through the different options and collect all achievements.

Go downstairs to the bar entrance. Talk to the man who follows you inside, and he will tell you to follow him back outside. Go back upstairs and then follow Joe down into the subway. Start with a Rabbinical response, then always answer Joe with questions to avoid being stabbed. You will eventually have to choose one of two options:

  • Show mercy Mensch
  • Don't show mercy Meshugga

Lauder Residence

Take the note from the wall to get Zelig's address.

Zelig Residence

Keep using the Rabbinical response, then agree to go out to the balcony Maven. Stall Zelig, then try to grab the gun twice. Climb over the balcony and say you are admiring the view, then try to grab the gun again. During the fight, here are the series of questions you should ask; when Zelig does not respond with a question, punch him:

  • Who do you think I am? You call yourself a Jew? How can you face God, knowing what you've done?
  • Are there others like you?
  • Is this how a Rabbi acts?
  • How can you live with yourself?
  • You really think God will understand your actions?
  • Are you happy with this life, Zelig? Do you think a rabbi should act this way?

You will receive an achievement if Zelig never hits you during this fight, and if you never got stabbed by Joe in your earlier fight Kemfer. Once he is at your mercy, you have two options:

  • Throw him over Shmulky
  • Knock him out (two different achievements if you showed Joe mercy Ubermensch, or chose to kill him Shonda for the Goyim)