Book Club Discussion Questions

1. What feelings did this book evoke for you?
2. At age 17, with war certain, do you think you could have made the decision to leave your family and travel alone?
3. How are food, wine and music important in the story?
4. How did Yutka handle her grief and fear?
5. How would you describe Yaakov?
6. If you could ask Yutka (or one of the other characters) a question, what would it be?
8. How would you feel about living on a kibbutz?
9. In 1939, some Jews felt that the establishment of Israel should wait for the coming of the messiah. What are your thoughts?
10. How does illegal immigration in YUTKA And the Voyage of the Parita differ from today’s immigration issues?
11. What other books did YUTKA And the Voyage of the Parita remind you of?
12. Which character in the book touched you the most? Why?
13. If you were making this story into a movie, who would you cast?
14. Which character in the book would you most like to meet? Why?
15. Which places in the book would you most like to visit? Why?
16. Did the story and characters remind you of people you know?