Shabbat Times by City

The 18 minutes create a buffer so Shabbat is accepted before sunset itself. It is the usual custom outside Israel, but not universal: Israeli calendars print 20 minutes for most cities, Jerusalem lights 40 minutes before sunset and Haifa 30, and each city page uses its own city's custom.

Shabbat ends at nightfall on Saturday, when three medium stars would be visible: commonly calculated as the sun reaching 8.5 degrees below the horizon, which is the calculation used here.

Yes. A city's row holds the Shabbat in progress until that city's own havdalah has passed, and only then moves to the following Friday. The date printed beside each city name says which Shabbat the row is showing.

Because sunset shifts daily with the seasons. The swing between June and December can be several hours in northern cities like London.

Follow your community. Astronomical calculations vary by a minute or two depending on rounding and exact coordinates; local calendars are the binding custom.