Shabbat Times
Find this week's Shabbat candle lighting and Havdalah times for any city or your current location, plus a table of upcoming Fridays you can print or download. Times are calculated from sunset with the minute offsets your community uses.
Last updated:
North latitude and east longitude are positive. Jerusalem traditionally lights 40 minutes before sunset and Haifa 30; most communities use 18.
Upcoming Shabbat times
How to use the Shabbat Times
- Choose your city from the list or press Use my location. For another place, type its latitude and longitude and pick the time zone.
- Check the candle lighting minutes: 18 is the common custom; Jerusalem and Haifa are filled in automatically.
- Pick your Havdalah custom: three stars (the sun 8.5° below the horizon) or a fixed number of minutes after sunset.
- Press Find Shabbat times to see candle lighting and Havdalah for the week. Use the week buttons or the date field to jump to another week.
- Scroll to the upcoming table to see the next weeks, then copy, download or print it for your fridge or synagogue newsletter.
How Shabbat times are worked out
Shabbat begins at sunset on Friday and ends at nightfall on Saturday. Because lighting a fire is not permitted once Shabbat has started, candles are lit a little before sunset, and Havdalah, the ceremony that separates Shabbat from the new week, is made after it is fully dark. All of these times depend on the sun, so they change every week and from place to place.
- Sunset is the moment the top edge of the sun drops below a flat horizon, when its centre is 0.833° below the horizon after allowing for refraction and the sun's radius.
- Candle lighting = Friday sunset − your offset (18 minutes for most communities), rounded down.
- Havdalah = Saturday nightfall: the time the sun reaches 8.5° (or 7.083°) below the horizon, or sunset + a fixed number of minutes, rounded up.
- Plag hamincha = sunset − 1.25 × (sunset − sunrise) ÷ 12.
The sun's position is computed with the NOAA solar equations (based on Jean Meeus' Astronomical Algorithms), which are accurate to about a minute away from the polar regions.
Common local customs
| Custom | Where it is common | Setting to use |
|---|---|---|
| Candles 18 minutes before sunset | Most communities worldwide | Candles: 18 |
| Candles 40 minutes before sunset | Jerusalem | Candles: 40 |
| Candles 30 minutes before sunset | Haifa and some northern Israeli towns | Candles: 30 |
| Some congregations use 15, 20 or 22 minutes | Various local traditions | Type the number of minutes |
| Havdalah at three small stars | Widely used default | Sun 8.5° below |
| Havdalah 42 or 50 minutes after sunset | Many printed calendars | 42 or 50 min after sunset |
| Havdalah 72 minutes after sunset (Rabbeinu Tam) | Those who follow the later nightfall | 72 min after sunset |
Tips for using the times
- Treat the candle lighting time as the latest time to light. Lighting a few minutes earlier is always fine.
- In summer the gap between sunset and nightfall grows, especially far from the equator, so Shabbat lasts longer in June than in December.
- Print the upcoming table at the start of each season and keep it near your candlesticks.
- If you live in a hilly or high place, the visible sunset can be earlier or later than the calculated sea-level time; your community's calendar takes that into account.
Frequently asked questions
How are Shabbat candle lighting times calculated?
Candle lighting is a set number of minutes before sunset on Friday. Most communities use 18 minutes; Jerusalem customarily uses 40 minutes and Haifa 30. The calculator finds the local sunset with the NOAA solar equations and subtracts your chosen offset, rounding down to the minute so the time is never late.
When does Shabbat end?
Shabbat ends at nightfall on Saturday, when three small stars are visible. A common astronomical definition is when the sun is 8.5° below the horizon, which is usually 35 to 50 minutes after sunset depending on latitude and season. Some communities use a fixed 42, 50 or 72 minutes after sunset instead; choose the option that matches your custom.
Why do my synagogue's times differ by a minute or two?
Calendars differ in rounding, in whether they use sea-level or visible sunset, and in the exact coordinates used for a city. Elevation and nearby mountains also change when the sun disappears. Small differences are normal; when in doubt, follow the times published by your local community.
What is plag hamincha?
Plag hamincha is one and a quarter seasonal hours before sunset, where a seasonal hour is one twelfth of the time from sunrise to sunset. Some people light candles and begin Shabbat early, from plag hamincha, especially on long summer Fridays. This tool shows plag hamincha using sunrise to sunset.
Why is the Havdalah time sometimes marked with an asterisk?
In summer at high latitudes (for example Scandinavia, Scotland or Alaska) the sun may not sink 8.5° below the horizon at all. The tool then shows sunset plus 50 minutes and marks it with an asterisk. Communities in those places follow a local rabbinic ruling, so check with your rabbi.
Does the calculator handle daylight saving time?
Yes. For listed cities the time zone is set automatically and daylight saving changes are applied for each date, so the upcoming weeks table stays correct across the spring and autumn clock changes. For custom coordinates choose the correct time zone or enter a fixed UTC offset.
Does it show times for Jewish holidays?
This tool is designed for the weekly Shabbat. On a festival (Yom Tov) the first night's candle lighting usually follows the same rule as Friday, but second-night candles are lit after nightfall, so check a holiday calendar or your community for festival times.
Are all the tools on FreeToolCabin tested for quality and accuracy?
Yes! Every tool on our site undergoes automated Q/A testing in real browser environments to ensure high precision, correct output, and zero errors. If you happen to spot a bug or have a suggestion, please contact us at [email protected] and our team will review it right away.