Shabbat Times in Chicago

Chicago winters bring some of the earliest candle-lighting times of any major American Jewish community. Our free calculator below is preset to Chicago, so you can check this week’s candle-lighting time, sunset, Havdalah, and Torah portion in seconds. Times follow United States Central Time, with daylight saving handled automatically.

Candle Lighting in Chicago

Candle lighting in Chicago is 18 minutes before astronomical sunset, the standard Diaspora custom. Sunset ranges from about 4:21 PM in late December to 8:28 PM in late June, so lighting falls near 4:03 PM on the darkest Fridays and near 8:10 PM at the start of summer. The city sits far enough north that the swing between seasons is more than four hours.

Illinois observes daylight saving time, moving clocks forward in March and back in November. The calculator applies the correct offset automatically, even for dates near the switch.

Havdalah in Chicago

Havdalah in Chicago is recited after nightfall, when three medium stars are visible. The default nightfall standard in the calculator is 8.5 degrees, and communities that follow 42, 50, or 72 minutes after sunset can select their custom in the settings.

Shabbat Times for Nearby Communities

Times across the Chicago area differ by only a few minutes. Nearby options include Skokie, Evanston, and Highland Park. For curated guides to other major communities, see Shabbat times in Toronto or Shabbat times in New York. You can also check any city worldwide on the main Shabbat candle-lighting times tool.

Planning Around Shabbat in Chicago

Lake Effect snow can slow Friday travel on the Kennedy and the Edens, so leave extra time in winter weeks when lighting is near 4 PM. Synagogues in West Rogers Park, Skokie, and Lincoln Park hold Kabbalat Shabbat services at various times, so confirm with your own congregation. To convert a Hebrew date for a simcha or a yahrzeit, see our Hebrew date converter.

Frequently Asked Questions

What time is candle lighting in Chicago this Friday?

Use the calculator on this page for this week’s exact times. In late December, candle lighting in Chicago is near 4:03 PM, while in late June it is near 8:10 PM.

Is Chicago on a different clock than New York?

Yes. Chicago follows Central Time, one hour behind New York’s Eastern Time, so candle lighting in Chicago happens one clock hour later than the same event in New York.

Why is candle lighting so early in a Chicago winter?

Chicago sits at about 42 degrees north latitude, where winter days are short. Combined with Central Time, which places the city toward the western edge of its zone, midwinter sunsets arrive well before 4:30 PM.