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Hate-crime charges in pizzeria beating

Andrew Crawford, the man accused of triggering a group beating of two San Francisco men in an allegedly anti-Semitic attack, will be charged for hate crimes, according to the district attorney’s office.

Crawford, 24, was arrested on the scene of the October attack outside the Marina District pizzeria and charged with aggravated assault in the beatings of Josh Feinerman and Cameron Matthews. A pretrial hearing is scheduled for Jan. 5.

Crawford has retained the services of Jim Collins, a renowned San Francisco attorney. Collins also represented John Francis Henning III, the attorney who served 90 days in a county work program after attacking San Francisco’s Rabbi Bentzion Pil and congregant Michael Medvedev in 2001.

Arraignment delayed in Kol Shofar embezzling case

The arraignment date for a former Kol Shofar employee accused of embezzling $180,000 from the Conservative Tiburon synagogue has been delayed indefinitely.

Larry Mintzer was originally to be arraigned Dec. 2, but Sarah Williams of the Marin County district attorney’s office was granted a delay so that she may fully review the paperwork seized from Mintzer’s home. She is unsure when Mintzer will be arraigned, but definitely ruled out any December dates.

Mintzer’s Nov. 16 arrest immediately followed a search of his Novato home. In addition to embezzlement and forgery-related charges against the 63-year-old, Mintzer was accused by the Tiburon Police Department of methamphetamine possession and with bringing narcotics into a jail during his booking at Marin County Jail.

JCF office opens

The Sonoma regional office of the S.F.-based Jewish Community Federation was dedicated Tuesday, Dec. 6 in Santa Rosa.

The federation office formerly shared space and resources with the Jewish Community Agency of Sonoma County.

The Sonoma region also has a new director. Eva Seligman-Kennard has replaced Carolyn Metz, who retired earlier this year.

What seniors need to know

The Jan. 8 seminar “Smart Choices for the Second Half of Life: What You Need to Know to Care for Yourself and Those You Love” will feature an array of workshops especially tailored for seniors.

Co-sponsored by Congregation Emanu-El’s Community and Family Education program and the S.F.-based Jewish Family and Children’s Services, the free workshops will touch on topics including housing options, legal matters, health care and financial planning. Keynote speaker will be Rabbi Earl Grollman, an author and pioneer in the field of crisis intervention.

The event will take place 1 p.m. to 5 p.m., Sunday, Jan. 8 at Congregation Emanu-El, 2 Lake St. S.F. Information: (415) 751-2541 ext. 138.