Moed
This Shabbat in London
- City
- LondonUnited Kingdom
- Custom
- candles 18 mincommon Diaspora custom
- Day
- October 16This week’s Shabbat
Shabbat Noach
- Candle lighting, Friday
- 18 min before sunset (6:05 PM)
- Havdalah, Saturday
- sun 8.5° below the horizon
- Rabbeinu Tam, Saturday
- 72 min after Saturday sunset (6:03 PM)
Next holiday: Hanukkah, December 4 – 12.
Zmanim and custom
Zmanim for Friday, October 16
5 Cheshvan 5787
- Dawnsun at 16.1°
- Misheyakirsun at 11.5°
- Sunrisenetz
- Latest ShemaMagen Avraham
- Latest ShemaVilna Gaon
- Latest ShacharitVilna Gaon
- Middaychatzot
- Mincha gedola
- Mincha ketana
- Plag hamincha
- Candle lighting18 min before sunset
- Sunsetshkiah
- Nightfallsun at 8.5°, Friday evening
The custom in London
Moed sets candle lighting in London at 18 minutes before sunset, Hebcal's default. London synagogues such as Hampstead United Synagogue publish their own weekly Shabbat start time: if yours differs, follow your synagogue.
Moed counts the end of Shabbat at the appearance of three stars, when the sun is 8.5° below the horizon, as Hebcal does.
Sources: Hampstead United Synagogue · Hebcal: candle lighting and Havdalah times
For a halakhic ruling, ask your rabbi.
Upcoming Shabbatot in London
| Friday | Parsha | Candles | Havdalah |
|---|---|---|---|
| Friday, October 165 Cheshvan 5787 | Noach | Candles 5:47 PM | Havdalah 6:53 PM |
| Friday, October 2312 Cheshvan 5787 | Lech-Lecha | Candles 5:32 PM | Havdalah 6:40 PM |
| Friday, October 3019 Cheshvan 5787 | Vayera | Candles 4:19 PM | Havdalah 5:27 PM |
| Friday, November 626 Cheshvan 5787 | Chayei Sara | Candles 4:06 PM | Havdalah 5:16 PM |
| Friday, November 133 Kislev 5787 | Toldot | Candles 3:55 PM | Havdalah 5:07 PM |
How we calculate London
| Setting | Value |
|---|---|
| Coordinates | 51.51° N, 0.13° W |
| Elevation | sea levelNo elevation is used, neither for sunset nor for the times of the day. |
| Candle lighting | 18 minutes before sunsetcommon Diaspora custom |
| Havdalah | sun 8.5° below the horizon |
| Rabbeinu Tam | 72 minutes after sunset |
| Rounding | the cautious way: candle lighting toward the earlier minute, Havdalah toward the later one |
| Calendar | Diaspora: two days of Yom Tov, the Diaspora parsha |
Jewish London
Synagogues
| Synagogue | Address | Rite |
|---|---|---|
| Bevis Marks Synagogue | City of London, Aldgate | Sephardi, Spanish and Portuguese tradition (Orthodox) |
| Hampstead United Synagogue | Hampstead (north-west London) | Orthodox (United Synagogue) |
Neighborhoods
- Golders Green. The UK's largest cluster of kosher shops and restaurants, west of Hoop Lane; the Underground station opened in 1907 and the Golders Green United Synagogue was built in 1921–1922.
- Stamford Hill. About 15,000 Haredi and Hasidic Jews: the largest Hasidic community in Europe.
- City of London (Aldgate). Bevis Marks, consecrated in 1701.
The community
London's Jewish life runs from a Sephardi synagogue consecrated in 1701 in the City to the kosher high streets of the north-west.
A small Sephardi colony in London was identified in 1656 and allowed to stay; Cromwell never formally restored admission. Bevis Marks Synagogue, consecrated in September 1701, is the oldest synagogue in continuous use in the United Kingdom and has been Grade I listed since 1950. It is currently closed to general visitors while a visitors centre is prepared, and the community hopes to reopen it before the end of 2026. In the twentieth century the community moved north-west. After the Underground station opened in 1907, Golders Green grew into a major Jewish district; the Golders Green United Synagogue laid its foundation stone on 16 October 1921, and its Dunstan Road building opened in 1922. According to Wikipedia, 49.9 per cent of the residents counted in the 2021 census (7,358 of 14,744) said they were Jewish. In the north-east, Stamford Hill is the largest Hasidic community in Europe, about 15,000 people by Wikipedia's estimate, with its Satmar and Belz synagogues. Hampstead has its own United Synagogue.
Before you go
- Bevis Marks holds services on Tuesday mornings and on Shabbat, but is closed to general visitors for now; check sephardi.org.uk before going.
- Golders Green has the UK's largest cluster of kosher restaurants and shops, west of Hoop Lane (Wikipedia).
Nearby cities
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