S. Daniel Abraham Obituary, Manhattan – S. Daniel Abraham, the American entrepreneur and philanthropist who transformed a modest family business into a billion-dollar weight-loss empire and devoted his later years to promoting peace in the Middle East, died on Sunday in Manhattan. He was 100.
Born in New York in 1924, Abraham served as an infantryman during World War II before returning home and purchasing Thompson Medical Company, which would go on to develop the SlimFast brand. Launched in the late 1970s, SlimFast revolutionized the diet industry with its meal replacement shakes, achieving immense popularity in the 1980s and 1990s. Abraham later sold the company to Unilever in 2000 for approximately $2.3 billion.
His commercial success funded decades of extensive philanthropic work. Abraham became an influential donor to Democratic political causes and a passionate advocate for a negotiated peace between Israelis and Palestinians. From 1988 to 2002, he traveled more than 60 times to the Middle East, often accompanied by Utah Congressman Wayne Owens, meeting with leaders including Israel’s Yitzhak Rabin, Shimon Peres, and Ariel Sharon, as well as Jordan’s Prince Abdullah and Palestinian leader Yasser Arafat.
In 1989, Abraham co-founded the S. Daniel Abraham Center for Middle East Peace in Washington, D.C. The nonprofit’s mission, as the organization describes it, is to “improve the lives of Israelis and Palestinians, narrow the conflict, advance rights and build popular support for peacebuilding.”
Robert Wexler, the Center’s president and a former congressman, paid tribute to Abraham’s efforts:
“A brilliant, humble businessman who experienced the destruction of war as a combat soldier in World War II, Mr. Abraham exhibited a tireless and selfless dedication to achieving peace, security, and prosperity for all peoples of the Middle East.”
Wexler added, “When peace comes to the Middle East — and it will — we will have Dan Abraham to thank.”
Abraham shared his insights in his 2006 book, Peace is Possible: Conversations with Arab and Israeli Leaders from 1988 to the Present, which featured a foreword by President Bill Clinton.
In the United States, Abraham was a prolific supporter of Democratic campaigns and causes. He contributed millions to the Clinton Foundation and was ranked among the top individual Democratic donors. In 2016, he gave $3 million to a super PAC supporting Hillary Clinton’s presidential bid.
His philanthropy extended far beyond politics. He endowed research and educational programs at major universities, including Harvard Medical School and Princeton. At Yeshiva University, he funded the S. Daniel Abraham Israel Program and the Honors Program at Stern College for Women, receiving an honorary doctorate in recognition of his support.
Yeshiva University President Ari Berman and Board Chair Ira Mitzner described him as a man “guided by purpose, generosity, and a deep love for the Jewish people and the State of Israel,” adding that “his influence will be felt by current and future generations.”
Abraham’s commitment to health and wellness continued beyond his SlimFast years. His donation to the Mayo Clinic created the Dan Abraham Healthy Living Center, which opened in 2007 to support preventive care and well-being for patients and employees alike.
Remembered by many as approachable and witty despite his immense success, Abraham was a familiar face in both philanthropic and political circles. Elaine Rosenberg Miller, a member of his Palm Beach synagogue, wrote: “The obituaries will call him ‘billionaire founder of SlimFast.’ But we knew him as a funny, approachable man.”
He is survived by his wife, Ewa; and his children, Rebecca Gridish, Leah Pinck, Tammy Wolchok, Simi Ganz, Sarah Abraham, and Sam Abraham, as well as their families.
Abraham’s legacy will continue through the institutions he supported, the peace efforts he championed, and the generations of entrepreneurs and advocates he inspired.
Rest in peace,