Israel Prayer Times

Zmanim (זמנים, times) are the halachically significant moments of the day: dawn, sunrise, the latest hour for the Shema and Shacharit, midday, the Mincha window, sunset and nightfall. They shift daily because they follow the sun, not a fixed clock.

From the sun’s position at the city’s coordinates. GRA (Vilna Gaon) counts 12 equal hours from sunrise to sunset. Magen Avraham counts from dawn to nightfall, which makes morning deadlines earlier. This page shows both Shema rows, matching the zmanim city tables.

GRA: three halachic hours after sunrise. Magen Avraham: three halachic hours after dawn. Most Ashkenazi communities follow GRA; some follow the earlier Magen Avraham time. Both appear in the table.

Yes, by a few minutes. Jerusalem is slightly east and higher; Tel Aviv is on the coast. Both use Asia/Jerusalem, so the clock is the same timezone, but sunset is not the same instant.

Mincha Gedola is the earliest time for the afternoon prayer, half a halachic hour after midday. Mincha Ketana is nine and a half halachic hours into the day, the time many authorities prefer for Mincha when possible. Mincha is generally said from Mincha Gedola until sunset.

One and a quarter halachic hours before sunset. Some communities pray Maariv or accept Shabbat early from this point, and it is the earliest time for lighting Shabbat candles.

They are computed from astronomical formulas for each city’s coordinates, at sea level, and should be within a minute or two of other calendars that follow the same opinions. Leave a margin before a deadline such as the latest Shema, as many communities do.

Ask your rabbi. The table does not choose: GRA Shema and Tefilla, Magen Avraham Shema, nightfall at 8.5°, and Rabbeinu Tam 72 minutes after sunset are all listed.