Judi Kanal has been an outstanding community leader in Pittsburgh for many years, serving in many different capacities on behalf of the Jewish community. At Federation, Judi served as the chair for Pittsburgh Women’s Philanthropy, Women’s Philanthropy Campaign, Israel and Overseas Funding, Super Sunday, Volunteer Center, Jewish Life & Learning and Yom Ha’atzmaut. Currently she is on the Pittsburgh Jewish Federation Board of Directors, Israel and Overseas Committee, Pittsburgh Foundation Allocations Committee, Pittsburgh Federation Budget and Allocations Committee and is a member of the National Women’s Philanthropy Board and is the incoming chair of the Pittsburgh Federation Planning and Funding Committee. She has also been awarded numerous honors by the Pittsburgh Jewish Federation, including Campaigner of the Year, Volunteer Center Volunteer of the Year, the Sonia and Aaron Levinson Community Relations Award, the Ostrow Volunteer of the Year Award, and the Kipnis-Wilson Friedland Award. Fifteen years ago, Judi ensured that her legacy is carried on with a Lion of Judah endowment with the Jewish Community Foundation.

In addition to her amazing volunteer work for Federation, Judi is a member of the Kollel Jewish Learning Center Capital Campaign Committee. She also chaired the capital campaign committee for the New Mikvah and has served on the boards of Hillel Academy of Pittsburgh, Jewish Community Center, the AJL (Center for Advanced Jewish Learning), and the Jewish Unity Project. She is currently active in AIPAC and Partners in Torah.

Judi and her husband made Aliyah in 2020 and own an apartment in Jerusalem. They spend a lot of time on planes going back and forth between the U.S. and Israel. Three of her children, and more than half of her grandchildren live in Israel.

Judi’s commitment to the future of the Jewish people, strengthening Israeli society, and connecting Israelis and Jews in the Diaspora, is truly remarkable.