In Remembrance of a Pioneer - and a Friend, Harold Snyder

It was with shock and sorrow that I learned through my handheld Blackberry, while sitting on the beach in Mexico, that my dear friend Harold Snyder had died on December 18 after a short illness.
The night before I left on vacation, I had visited Harold in the hospital. He was talking about being transferred to the rehab unit at the Rusk Institute. I kissed him goodbye and said, “I’ll see you to celebrate New Year’s Eve together.” It was to be my last visit with him, now a bittersweet memory.
It’s hard to lose a friend, but Harold was one of the most extraordinary people I have ever met.
Rabbi Ammiel Hirsch described Harold at the funeral with words I knew to be true. “With every measure of his indomitable will and with the passions of a prophet he dedicated his life to helping others. He was committed to making the world a brighter place, less dark, less cold, less lonely, kinder, gentler, more compassionate, more humane, more peaceful and more forgiving.”
Harold Snyder was one of a kind. He and his devoted artist wife, Tamar Hirschl, had become good friends. We met a number of years ago when he joined me on the board of the Queens Museum of Art (QMA).
On Monday, December 22, Stu and I joined the overflowing crowd of family and friends and even former President Bill Clinton to pay tribute to this singular man.
Harold’s life began modestly, as the son of immigrants growing up in the depths of the Depression. He never forgot what it was like to be poor and powerless.
He served in World War II in the Army Air Corps on a B-17 bomber as a gunner pilot braving many missions.
Having survived the war, he attended New York University, graduating in 1948; he then received an MS from Columbia University in natural science in 1950.
With his first wife of 49 years, Beatrice, he founded Biocraft Laboratories in 1964. Under his leadership, Biocraft became one of the largest manufacturers of generic drugs, and was the first company of its kind to be listed on the New York Stock Exchange (NYSE), according to The New York Times. He sold the company to an Israeli drug company, Teva Pharmaceuticals, Ltd., the world’s largest generic pharmaceutical company, and served on their board, traveling frequently to Israel.
Since his second wife Tamar was Israeli, Harold became a passionate supporter of Israeli causes.
His philanthropy changed people’s lives forever, whether through The Beatrice Snyder Foundation, or through medical research and charitable donations.
Harold’s determination was to make health care affordable to people worldwide. His generic drugs enabled millions of people to receive safe, affordable and reliable medication. No longer did people have to decide between buying food or their medicine.
As his success grew, his moral framework remained intact - family, philanthropy and passionate caring. Enormous spirit and good works were his mantra throughout his distinguished life and career.
He also viewed politics as a way to achieve a just society, and he gave generously.
Harold touched us here in Queens by making huge donations to the Queens Museum of Art, and probably just as importantly, repeatedly offering sage advice. Will he be missed!
One of Harold’s children, speaking eloquently from the lectern, said that Harold’s was a well-spent life that helped to make the world a better place. His son also shared that President Clinton had said that every one of us should be filled by awe and joy and absolute determination to make the most of life, as Harold did!
“Harold radiated a huge light that will rarely be seen again,” said the Rabbi.
I feel fortunate to have been in his light, to have been a part of his life and his world.
He is survived by his wife Tamar; daughter Beryl; sons Brian and Jay; and six grandchildren: Quentin, Jackson, Maxwell, Ophelia, Brette and Evan.