Summer and winter time dates in Israel for 2027 to 2030, the rule behind them, what you need to reset at home, and how the gap to the UK, Europe and the US changes for a few days.
Short answer: the next change is on Friday 26 March 2027, when clocks in Israel go forward an hour at 02:00, to 03:00. They go back on Sunday 31 October 2027, at 02:00, to 01:00. The rule comes from the Time Determination Law, as amended in 2013: summer time (Israel Daylight Time, UTC+3) starts on the Friday before the last Sunday of March and ends on the last Sunday of October, when Israel returns to Israel Standard Time (UTC+2). The most recent change was on Sunday 25 October 2026, when the clocks went back.
Dates for 2027 to 2030
- 2027: forward on Friday 26 March, back on Sunday 31 October.
- 2028: forward on Friday 24 March, back on Sunday 29 October.
- 2029: forward on Friday 23 March, back on Sunday 28 October.
- 2030: forward on Friday 29 March, back on Sunday 27 October.
Both changes happen at 02:00 local time. In March, 02:00 becomes 03:00, so the night from Thursday to Friday is an hour shorter. In October, 02:00 becomes 01:00 overnight from Saturday to Sunday, so that hour happens twice.
You will often see the spring rule given as "the last Friday of March". That gives the wrong date in 2028 and 2029, when March ends on a Friday or a Saturday. The law counts back from the last Sunday, so the change is on 24 March 2028 and 23 March 2029, not the 31st or the 30th.
What changes in practice
- Phones and computers. They update by themselves, alarms included, as long as automatic date and time is switched on and the time zone is Jerusalem.
- Everything else. Oven, microwave and car clocks, the timer on the boiler (the dud), wall clocks and any timer that is not connected to the internet keep the old time until you change them.
- Your Shabbat clock. Timers for lights and the hotplate need resetting too. In spring, do it on Friday morning, because the change happens only hours before Shabbat; in autumn you have until the following Friday.
- Shabbat times and zmanim. Candle lighting and every zman jump by about an hour on the clock. In Jerusalem, candle lighting is 17:09 on 19 March 2027 and 18:14 on 26 March 2027, the day of the change. In autumn it goes from 17:12 on 29 October 2027 to 16:06 on 5 November. This week's Shabbat times are always in current local time.
- Buses and the light rail. Timetables are in local time, so services run to their usual times on the new clock. Getting around Jerusalem and the light rail guide cover hours and fares.
The October change also means darker evenings: by early November sunset in Jerusalem is at about 16:45. Winter in Jerusalem covers heating and rain, and the weather by month shows what each season is like.
The time difference to the UK, Europe and the US
Most of the year, Israel is two hours ahead of the UK, one hour ahead of central Europe (Paris, Berlin, Rome), seven hours ahead of New York and ten hours ahead of Los Angeles. Those gaps change only when Israel and the other country change on different days. In 2027:
- UK: three hours from Friday 26 to Sunday 28 March. In October both change on Sunday 31 October, so the gap stays at two hours.
- Central Europe: two hours from 26 to 28 March, and one hour the rest of the year.
- US: six hours to New York and nine to Los Angeles from 14 to 26 March and from 31 October to 7 November 2027, because the US changes earlier in spring and later in autumn.
Before a call or a flight that falls in one of those windows, check the time on timeanddate.com.
Why Israel's dates differ
Israel sets its own dates by law. The UK and the EU change on the last Sunday of March and of October, and the US on the second Sunday of March and the first Sunday of November. Israel's spring change is on the Friday before Europe's Sunday, so it always comes two days earlier; in autumn the two now fall on the same day.
Summer time used to end much earlier. From 2005 to 2012 it ended at 02:00 on the Saturday night before Yom Kippur, so the fast would end an hour earlier on the clock, which put the change in September or early October. The Knesset moved the end to the last Sunday of October in July 2013.
Common questions
When do the clocks go forward in Israel in 2027?
On Friday 26 March 2027 at 02:00, when the clocks move to 03:00. Israel is then on Israel Daylight Time, UTC+3, until the end of October.
When do the clocks go back in Israel in 2027?
On Sunday 31 October 2027 at 02:00, when the clocks move back to 01:00 and Israel returns to Israel Standard Time, UTC+2. The UK and Europe change on the same day.
What time zone is Jerusalem?
Israel Standard Time, UTC+2, in winter, and Israel Daylight Time, UTC+3, from late March to late October. On a phone or computer, choose Jerusalem.
Does Israel change the clocks on the same day as Europe?
In autumn, yes: both change on the last Sunday of October, a few hours apart. In spring, no: Israel changes on the Friday, two days before Europe.
Do I need to reset my Shabbat clock?
Yes, unless it sets its own time. In spring, reset it on the Friday morning of the change, before Shabbat comes in.
Hebrew you will meet
- שעון קיץ — sha'on kayitz — summer time
- שעון חורף — sha'on choref — winter time
- שעון שבת — sha'on Shabbat — a Shabbat timer for lights or the hotplate
More everyday words are in our Hebrew vocabulary guide.
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