Judy Knapp grew up in New York, Long Beach, NY on the beach, to be exact, with a cultured family dedicated to and deeply involved and hands- on in the building and funding of the basic needs of Israel. She graduated from NYU with a BA in languages, Spanish, and Italian. She then married and set out for California. A bad back left her unable to do anything but learn to crochet and that was the start of Knapp Sacs, the beginning of Joel and Judy Knapp Corp, a jute handbag.

Busy with a large junior fashion business, raising a family, and, soon traveled with her entire family, Joel, Jacqui and Julie, to Israel, in 1988, This trip rekindled her inherent interest in the country and Judy maintained this passion as her apparel industry influence soared and as she rose to become co- chairman of the Apparel Division of the Jewish Federation along with her niece, Lorri Herman. In this capacity, the group met regularly with important guests, among whom was Rabbi Susan Laemmle, and other major leaders in the Jewish community, leading to stimulating and focused discussions. Judy's personal and professional life was followed by many trips to Israel with members of International and local groups visiting all the most important sites in the holyland throughout the 80s and 90s.

Judy received many honors and awards during these years, from the Womens Division of the Jewish Federation, and on to Sav-a-Life with, Baba Sale Synagogue with Michelle Bohbot, and including the Lifetime Achievement Award from the New York Textile Printers Group, as well as the award from the Big Sisters and Brothers Entrepreneur Award, which also honored her, daughter, Julie, a hand bag designer and manufacturer.

In 2006, Judy was diagnosed with Breast Cancer for an extremely aggressive and inherited category: this "HER 2 Positive", diagnoses, required her to undergo a double mastectomy with many months of chemotherapy, following which was months of reconstructive surgery and healing. It was during these difficult months that she agreed to treatment with Herceptin, at the time a relatively new drug for the condition and having total faith in her doctors combined with her love of life and family, she began the arduous treatments. It was at this time that Judy was made aware of the Israel Cancer Research Foundation. (ICRF). Her Oncologist, Barry Rosenbloom then president at Tower Cancer Center and ICRF, explained the importance of the organization, and its ability to efficiently work to give many fellowships to world researchers, may of whom became Noble Prize winners for their discoveries, the opportunity to work in many of the leading hospitals and research facilities in Israel. And thus another passion was born.

Shortly thereafter, Her Friend, Beverly Cohen, approached her with a new organization of women, The Rachel Group, devoted to the cures and target drugs for the many types of breast cancer and Judy, once again, became totally immersed in this urgent cause. We now know that when Elie Weisel said "The cures for cancer will come from Israel!!!!" It became the rallying mantra of the world's women.