- Q. I was driving my car and accidentally hit the liftgate in the parking lot of a church. I have already let them know that I did it and wanted to take responsibility, so there is no option for a hit and run (not that I'd want to do that).
My questions are:
1) Is there any issue with giving money directly to the church to reimburse them for the damage?
2) Can I request a donation receipt to help me recoup some of the expense?
3) Is it better if I try to pay the repair company directly? (I'm not sure that they will give me this option but I can try and insist).
A. In principle there is no prohibited issue in reimbursing the church institution for the damage done, since we have to compensate and repay what we owe, both by our Torah mitzvot and the law of the land.
Yet you should not ask for a donation receipt, since it is money owed and not a donation at all.
Doing the above could create a “Chilul Hashem or desecration of Hashem and His Torah values.
As far as offering to pay the repair company directly, if it is legal and acceptable by the church, you can do so.
Important Numbers
