Shmuel’s wife was killed in the Sbarro bombing; he responded with kindness
“I’m a crazy guy with a crazy idea” is how Shmuel Greenbaum has described himself.
Some would argue that you would have to be a little bit crazy to take the path Greenbaum has taken, given what he has been through over the last quarter-century.
On August 9, 2001, Shmuel’s wife Shoshana was murdered.
She was 31 years old, pregnant with their first child. She was a teacher, her parents’ only child.
Shoshana and Shmuel had just moved into a new home, planning to start their life together.
“I had been the happiest man in the world married to the most wonderful woman in the world,” Greenbaum recalled shortly after his wife was killed. “Our heads were filled with wonderful dreams.”
The now infamous terrorist attack at the Sbarro pizzeria in Jerusalem killed 15 others and wounded 160.
It was just a month before 9/11 — a fact largely forgotten after the horrors of that September day in New York.
Even though terrorist attacks were part of the daily reality in Israel at the time, the Sbarro attack has remained seared into the national consciousness.
Shmuel could have responded in many different ways to the tragedy, as countless others in similar situations have.
Yet Greenbaum chose a distinctive path, dedicating much of his life over the last 25 years to simple acts of kindness.
About four months after 9/11 and less than half a year after Shoshana was murdered, Greenbaum and a group of friends got together to discuss how they could make the world a better place. With no funding or institutional infrastructure, they decided to start a daily email newsletter sharing stories of kindness, which they called “A Daily Dose of Kindness.” A few months later, their budget-less organization, which they called “Partners in Kindness,” launched another newsletter, which they called “Kind Words.” In addition to stories, it contained “scientific insights on kindness and sensitivity enhancement techniques,” according to the organization’s website.
The newsletters quickly spread far and wide. They were translated into multiple languages and reached audiences across the globe, from Christian prison inmates in Texas to Muslim clergy in Quwait.
Greenbaum, an Orthodox Jew, continued telling stories and researching kindness and resilience.
The organization collected stories of kindness in a book they published, which earned approbation from the late UK Chief Rabbi Jonathan Sacks.
For more than two decades, Greenbaum ran his small nonprofit with no budget and essentially a staff of one.
This year, to mark the 25th anniversary of the bombing that took his wife’s life, Greenbaum decided to launch a new concept he believes humanity needs right now: the world’s first kindness-themed amusement park, which he is dubbing “The Uplift Experience.”
“We all face stress and moments when we lose hope,” according to Greenbaum.
“For 25 years, I’ve seen how stories of kindness lift people’s spirits. When you combine kindness with immersive experiences, people walk out wanting to change their lives. The Uplift Experience is designed to fill people with joy, kindness, purpose, and hope.”
Based on years of personal experience and research into the science of positive emotion, moral elevation, awe, trauma, and resilience, he wants the park to create a physical space where people feel uplifted, inspired, and motivated to help others.
“It stands alone as the only theme park to be engineered to help people become better human beings,” says Greenbaum.
“When you enter the theme park, you will immediately be surrounded by the vibrant sights and sounds of kindness. The entire space is designed as an immersive emotional journey. Soul-stirring music fills the air, evoking deep pride in Israel’s beauty and fostering a powerful sense of unity across all religions and backgrounds,” according to Greenbaum, who emphasizes that the park will “ignite a passion for service, inspiring visitors to carry that positive energy back into their own communities.”
Similar to how Disney World’s EPCOT showcases global culture and creativity, Greenbaum envisions a pavilion that highlights the energy and impact of Israeli volunteer organizations, with each organization offering interactive experiences related to its mission: things like computer challenges, team competitions, races, and virtual-reality adventures.
An experience inspired by one of Israel’s first responder organizations, for example, will plunge participants into the shoes of an EMT volunteer, navigating the streets on an ambu-cycle or ambulance, responding to urgent calls, dispatching medics to save lives and more.
“Studies indicate that this type of immersive experience can reduce stress, foster stronger social bonds, and boost creativity and memory retention,” says Greenbaum.
Though still in initial planning stages, the drive behind the park unfortunately may be even more relevant today than a quarter-century ago, when Greenbaum’s tragedy-driven journey began.
“In a time when hatred and division are rising around the world,” Greenbaum says, “the initiative aims to unite Christians, Muslims, Jews, and people of all faiths and beliefs in a shared mission to uplift the world.”
