Memorial Donation
Question
My family has a foundation for a son that died young. This foundation is in his name and helps Jewish children.
If a friend’s father died and they designated three places to donate in his honor BUT I choose to donate to my family foundation in the father’s memory, is that okay?
I have always thought it is okay to donate in memory of someone, no matter where you contribute. I thought it is okay to plant a tree in Israel, or give to your favorite charity or ….if you want, give to who the family designates.
Whatever you do is a mitzvah. Am I wrong??
Answers
There is no Halachic obligation to donate to one of the three places that the family of the deceased have designated. However, I am not sure that donating to your family foundation can be counted as you having donated in memory of your friend’s father. When you donate to your family foundation, you are not donating directly to a worthy cause. Rather, you are donating to a foundation that will eventually use your donation to give to a worthy cause. Even if your family foundation gives a donation in memory of your friend’s father, it is the foundation that has honored his memory, but I am not sure that it is considered as if you have honored his memory with your donation.
Best wishes from the AskTheRabbi.org Team