Seven Springs: A Memoir

by Ellen Blum Barish

One afternoon in the spring of 1972, a Mack truck sped through a residential intersection and collided with a station wagon carrying a young girl and her friend on a ride home from school. The accident shattered the girls’ realities. A blanket of silence fell over them until they reconnected at their twentieth high school reunion. That conversation set the young girl on a twenty-year journey—reflected in seven springs—that reunited her to her past, her self, and what she now understands as faith.

Genres: Memoir

140 pages, Paperback

Published April 27, 2021

Reviews

[Anne O'Malley · Rating 5 out of 5]

At 12, author Barish sustained relatively minor injuries in a major car accident that seriously hurt the other passengers, including a close childhood friend and the friend’s sister and mother. What followed, for years, was Barish’s family’s bewildering silence about the accident and walled-off communication with the victims. Her memoir delves into the emotions surrounding silence in a family, the confusion and loss she felt about the suffering of the close friend victim, and her journey as an adult reach to out to the friend, which culminated in an illuminating aftermath. Beautifully and sensitively written, Barish’s powerful reflection weaves in aspects of Jewish spirituality along her path to come to terms with trauma and its repercussions.

[Debbie · Rating 5 out of 5]

This is Ellen's memoir of how a traumatic event in childhood can carry through to adulthood. At age 12, Ellen survived a terrible car crash with minimal injuries. There was not much discussion of this accident throughout her life until she attended her twentieth reunion and met up with the other girl who was also in the car. She had a very different story to tell. It's amazing how the mind can repress memories completely or change the facts around what actually happened. This meet-up set Ellen on a mission to uncover the real story. Reading this book was like sitting on a comfy sofa with Ellen and hearing her story. Her journey was both touching and engaging.

[Peg Conway · Rating 5 out of 5]

A poignant, reflective exploration of past events. After surviving a car crash with minor physical injuries at age 12, twenty years later the author begins to uncover the emotional wounds created by imposed silence about the experience. The book’s gently probing prose reflects her careful excavation process that unfolds over two more decades, effectively conveying the nature of trauma. The insights drawn from her Jewish tradition and practice add wonderful depth for any reader, regardless of faith or lack of it.

[Carole Duff · Rating 4 out of 5]

The author, a journalist, makes peace with her past, in particular a traumatic car accident when she was twelve. A short, engaging memoir, thought I wished to read more about how the author’s search for the truth intertwined with her growing faith – as here: “The body and soul in Judaism are understood as separate but interconnected partners in human beings. The body is a tool God provides us to be used to do sacred work in the world. The soul is a guest in the body, and taking care of the soul considered a commandment.” Lovely.

[Elizabeth Andrew · Rating 4 out of 5]

In an era of growing appreciation for the long-term ramifications of trauma, Ellen Blum Barish’s memoir offers a tender exploration of the shock and loss around a childhood car accident. Barish traces the ripples of this seemingly simple trauma into relationships, physical health, emotional wellbeing, and her Jewish faith, making of them a heartfelt, engaging story. I recommend it.

[Lisa · Rating 4 out of 5]

I found this story intriguing: how an accident impacted the lives of the young girls involved. The author did a good job of showing how, even though she wasn't the one most seriously physically injured, she was traumatized just the same. I loved some stories such as the one about her grandmother taking care of her the night of the accident, but would have loved to hear more.

[Rfumo · Rating 5 out of 5]

Although I don’t usually read memoirs, I was intrigued by the underlying storyline. This book has been the perfect companion for this rainy afternoon - beautifully written and moving. Kudos to Ms Blum Barish!

[Lucydallman · Rating 4 out of 5]

A lovely little book. How memory plays with our current lives, the serendipity of life, signs which play important roles and meaning in the bigger picture, faith and the power of writing.

[BeckyT · Rating 5 out of 5]

Vulnerable, lyrical, suspenseful and profound. Highly recommend.

[Casie Gambrel · Rating 5 out of 5]

Originally published on windycityreviews.org

Seven Springs: A Memoir by Ellen Blum Barish, Shanti Arts Publishing, 2021, Electronic or Print, 135 pages

Ellen Blum Barish’s Seven Springs: A Memoir is a short engaging story that will tug at your heartstrings. At age twelve, Ellen and her school friend were passengers in a horrific car accident on their way home from school. The aftermath of the accident shattered their friendship and led to years of silence within the author’s own family. At her twenty-year high school reunion, Ellen was reunited with her friend. Their conversation broke years of silence and unlocked snippets of buried memories from the past, propelling the author on a quest to understand the truth of what happened.

The book is an intimate portrait of Ellen’s childhood and family dynamics from the viewpoint of the protagonist as an adult. The author follows her journalistic instinct to seek many unanswered questions that life has thrown her way. The compassionate prose accompanies the reader as Ellen carries the weight of the traumatic experience and realizes the impact it has had on her life. She shines a light on her own journey as she makes sense of confusion, self-doubt, belonging, and family secrets.

As Ellen pieces her story together, she finds the courage to unlock repressed memories and finally understand a gnawing feeling that will not go away. Through her discovery process, Ellen confronts her parents and faces her childhood friends with questions about the accident and its aftermath. Along the way, Ellen must ask for forgiveness and mend bridges for decisions others made on her behalf, unbeknownst to her.

The author masterfully alternates between her roles of observer and main character, objective investigator, and subject of her research. The perseverance in her discovery process sends the reader down fascinating rabbit holes that expose open wounds in Ellen's relationships with her parents and childhood friend. By the end of her journey, Ellen has come to accept what happened, make peace with her past, and understand how this experience has shaped her as an adult.

The book opens with a lesson on Tikkun Olam: the Jewish belief in our duty to restore the world. In a way, that is what this book is about. The author’s world order has been disrupted in ways she didn't know or expect, and she goes on a quest to restore it. And, as she pieces her story together, Ellen's Jewish roots beckon on her. Although she grew up in a non-practicing household, Ellen's pull toward Judaism provides her with powerful clues and symbols that undeniably aid her discovery. Ultimately, her journalistic process around the accident and its aftermath is also a process of identity building as she reconnects with her Jewish faith.

Seven Springs is an insightful journey of courage, truth, and faith written from the heart. Relatable life lessons for everyone. You cannot help but feel a kinship and connection with the author after reading her beautiful story.