That’s ok. I don’t really exist.

(Not that it can be in this reality anyway with trolls and dragons, of course.)

Speak for yourself. I don’t believe in Dianne. So there.

Regarding points 1 and 2, I think you’re probably right. I lack the background to be able to get the language (or any other details!) right all the time, but hopefully I’ll improve as I go along (with the help of my readers).

3) You’re right — Aherville is not a shtetl, nor does this story take place in the 19th century.

4) The folks in Aherville are reasonably well off. And compared to the average 19th century shtetl, they’re fabulously wealthy.

5) You’re right, I should have had the girls and women wearing nicer outfits. Oh, well — I’ll do that better the next time I draw Shabbos.

I hope you’ll enjoy the fantasy elements more as the story goes on, because it is a major part of Mirka’s current storyline — in fact, it’ll take up most of the rest of 2008. But in 2009 we’ll get to see a lot more of my invented town, so I hope you stick around. :-)

1) as has been pointed out, ‘a gut vokh’ would be more in line with the other Jewish language usage so far

2) ‘the sixth day’ sounds like a translation of ‘yom shishi’, but wouldn’t these characters be more likely to say ‘erev shabes’?

3) ‘College’, huh? so we’re not in a real shtetl…

4) This is a pretty minor nit to pick….if economic conditions/realia in this ‘shvetl’ (my coinage for virtual shtetl) resemble a typical 19th c. shtetl, they’re not killing most of a cup of wine to douse the havdalah candle. They are probably spilling a bit into the saucer, and dousing the candle in the spilled bit.

I am confused by the fact that some characters (the men/boys) seem to dress hasidish, and some (the women/girls) are more sort of modern Ortho. Sort of. Because modern Ortho. girls would actually be dressed fancier on shabat than these girls are. OK, so that’s my bottom line – is this confusion intentional or accidental? Am giving you benefit of doubt (am assuming it’s intentional) and that we will have more fusion surprises to come! Maybe it’s an egalitarian-davenning community!

My penultimate point (if you’ve read this far, thank you!) I L-O-V-E-D that ‘uvdin d’hol’ reference. Not something a 19th c. shtetl girl would know, but quite possible for a day-school attending 20th c. ortho girl with more of a bent for Jewish learning than for knitting!

The only thing I don’t totally love is the whole dragon killing/sword finding angle (which may be very important to you, I realize). I dunno, that doesn’t grab me…yet… but it seems so minor compared to the pleasures of figuring out your invented Jewish world! Thank you.

Ritaxis, glad to help you procrastinate. :-) Half the stuff I read, I read while I’m trying to delay getting work done.

Kat, I wish I’d update more often too — but I’m slow, and I have a day job! :-) I’ve decided to give myself a HUGE lead time rather than publish twice a week, so I can absolutely guarantee that I won’t miss a single update in 2008.

One of my goals for 2009 is to up my speed to the point of doing two pages a week. We’ll see if I can actually do that, though.