Danni Chelsea D'Angio The Avoda Scholarship Award recipients for 2009 are Danni Chelsea D'Angio, who is the primary Avoda recipient, and Maxwell Jacob Mittelman, who is the secondary Avoda recipient.

Danni D'Angio lives in Linwood with her parents, Sharon and Donato, her brother Leon, who will graduate from the University of Miami in December 2009, as well as her grandmother, Mary D'Angio.

Danni received an early acceptance to the school of her choice, the Whitman School of Business at Syracuse University, where she will study marketing management; she will graduate from Mainland Regional High School where she has been on the Merit and Honor Rolls and has participated in several art competitions, SADD Peer Mediation and the drama club.

Danni attends Congregation Beth Judah where she is a Hebrew High School aide on Tuesday evenings. In 2007, she went on the Panim el Panim program with Cantor Ed Kulp which made her appreciate the problems of many others in the U.S. With the aid of the Jewish community, Danni was able to go on a USY pilgrimage to Israel and Poland in the summer of 2008 which was an amazing experience for her and greatly enhanced her Jewish identity.

Maxwell J. Mittelman Danni was confirmed at Beth Judah, graduated from Hebrew High School and has been very involved in USY.

In addition to her studies, Danni has worked in several capacities as a salesclerk, waitress, counselor at a performing arts camp and at the Hebrew High school as an aide and substitute. She looks forward to sharing her vision of seeing the world as an art and feels that through her education at Syracuse University in marketing and advertising, she will succeed.

Maxwell Mittelman lives in Northfield with his parents, Daniel and Terry and his younger sister, Jane. Max will be attending the University of North Carolina Wilmington where he will major in physical education after graduating from Mainland Regional High School.

He has been very involved with activities of the National Honor Society, and has also participated in Varsity Cross Country, Track and Field, and Swimming where he has been captain of each of the teams.

Max celebrated his Bar Mitzvah and Confirmation at Congregation Beth Israel where he is involved in activities with the BITY group, helping to cook meals for the Atlantic City Rescue Mission, and transporting collected food donations gathered after High Holidays to the JFS food bank. He will work at the JFS food bank as a volunteer this summer on a weekly basis stocking and organizing supplies. Max also attended Hebrew High School for 4 years.

Because of his athletic background and his interest in working with children, he looks forward to a career in teaching physical education and wants to help his students live healthy and happy lives. His working experiences have been with the Longport Beach Patrol over the last few years, which also enhances his career interests.

Max is very proud that his family has been very involved in the Jewish community over several generations; his great-grandfather, Daniel Mittelman was a charter member of the Hebrew Old Age Home (Seashore Gardens) and his grandfather, Joel Mittelman served on the board of Avoda. Max hopes to return here after college and continue the tradition of serving in our community.