Committed to donate to a different synagogue
Question
Dear Rabbis! Thirty years ago, I promised to donate $500 to a synagogue where I used to pray in Los Angeles in the US. After a while, I realized that the people responsible for this synagogue aren’t really taking care of its needs, and alas, after a few years it closed its doors. Even before that synagogue ceased to function, I emigrated to Israel and donated this money to a synagogue in the Givat Shaul neighborhood in Jerusalem. Now that I’m learning tractate Nedorim (which deals with vows, oaths and promises) according to the schedule of Daf HaYomi (a folio a day) as a student of Rabbi Yitzchak Vind, I’d like to know if what I did is OK, or do I need to fix this somehow. Thank you in advance for your reply!
Answer
Dear …!
In your case it’s permitted to transfer your commitment from one charity to another, and therefore, you can donate the money to a different synagogue. This way you do fulfill your vow to donate money to a synagogue.
But all this is true only on the condition that the money hadn’t yet been transferred to someone responsible for the first synagogue.
Source
Shulchan Oruch, section Yore Deah, chapter 259, §2