Shabbat in New York begins well before the sun sets over the Hudson. Our free calculator below is preset to New York, so you can check this week’s candle-lighting time, sunset, Havdalah, and Torah portion in seconds. Times follow United States Eastern Time, with daylight saving handled automatically.
New York’s Jewish community lights candles 18 minutes before astronomical sunset, the standard Diaspora custom. Sunset in the city ranges from about 4:28 PM in late December to about 8:31 PM in late June, so candle-lighting times move across the calendar with the seasons.
Like most of the Northeast, New York observes daylight saving time, which shifts clock times by an hour between March and November. The calculator applies the correct offset automatically, so you never need to adjust manually.
Havdalah in New York is recited after nightfall, when three medium stars are visible. The calculator’s default uses the 8.5-degree nightfall standard, and communities that follow 42, 50, or 72 minutes after sunset can select their custom in the settings.
Times for the wider New York area differ only by a minute or two, but they are not identical. Nearby options include Boston, Philadelphia, Montreal, and Toronto. You can also check any city worldwide on the main Shabbat candle-lighting times tool.
New York’s subway and rail schedules ease Friday travel, but winter Fridays close early: in December, candle lighting falls near 4:20 PM. Synagogues across the Upper West Side, Brooklyn, and the Five Towns hold Kabbalat Shabbat services at various times, so confirm with your own congregation. To convert a Hebrew date for a smachot or a yahrzeit, see our Hebrew date converter.