Ranges are for THU-THU, 26 Sivan - 3 Av/June - July
Candle lighting - 7:14pm (earliest - 6:20pm)
Havdala - 8:33pm (Rabbeinu Tam - 9:16pm)
Earliest Shacharit 4:36-4:39am
Sunrise - 5:35-5:38pm
Sof Z'man Kri'at Sh'ma - 9:08-9:10am (8:12-8:15am)
Sof Z'man Shacharit - 10:21-10:19am (9:42-9:44am)
Chatzot (halachic noon) - 12:41¾-12:43¼pm
Mincha Gedola (earliest Mincha) - 1:18-1:19pm
Plag Mincha - 6:19½ - 6:20pm
Sunset - 7:54 - 7:54pm (7:48½-7:48½pm)

Shabbat times for other cities:
Candles (earliest) city Shabbat out
7:31pm (6:22) Raanana 8:32pm
7:29pm (6:21) Beit Shemesh 8:32pm
7:31pm (6:23) Netanya 8:31pm
7:30pm (6:22) Rehovot 8:33pm
7:31pm (6:22) Petach Tikva 8:30pm
7:29pm (6:21) Modi'in area 8:33pm
7:27pm (6:21) Be'er Sheva 8:28pm
7:28pm (6:20) Gush Etzion 8:33pm
7:30pm (6:21) Ginot Shomron 8:30pm
7:17pm (6:20) Maale Adumim 8:31pm
7:20pm (6:21) Tzfat 8:36pm

Okay. Let’s go. You might have noticed that starting in last week’s 11th anniversary issue of TT, we listed times for “regular” candle lighting and earliest candle lighting, for those who take Shabbat early, and the time of Shabbat-out - for 12 different locations around the country. For many years, Torah Tidbits has carried Jerusalem times and left the rest of its readership to fend for itself. We decided, as a gift to out-of-Jerusalem TT readers, we would print zmanim for communities that receive a significant number of TTs each week. (If anyone feels we overlooked a community for inclusion on the list, please let us know.)

Torah Tidbits uses the computer program CHAZON SHAMAYIM for its halachic zmanim, and we consult with the author of the program, Rav Eitan Tzakuni for detailed explanations and fine tuning.

Before last week’s issue, we spoke to several representatives of the local religious councils of many of the places on the list, to determine what local customs might exist that would require adjusting the calculations.
Since last week’s issue, several readers from different communities contacted us with important feedback and input.

Had we realized that the issue of local candle lighting and havdala times was so complex, we might have celebrated our entrance into the 12th year of TT by offering free beer at a Carlebach concert, rather than expand times chart.
There are some kinks that need to be ironed out and we need more reader feedback to help with the task.

Just to clue the readers in on some of the difficulties in producing such a chart, here are some of the issues:

Jerusalem lights candles 40 minutes before sunset. (Except for those who don’t follow that custom.) Which sunset? Important question. The standard practice is to count 40 minutes before “sunset of elevation”. Jerusalem is a little over 800m above sea level. If one could see the sun set over a horizon at sea level (which can be done from some parts of J’lem), it would set about 5 minutes later than someone watching from sea level, or seeing the sun set beyond mountains that are approx. the same height as Jerusalem is. Since the sunset on the same plane is 5 minutes earlier, and for Shabbat purposes is the sunset we would have to consider because of the strictness of Shabbat, then J’lem candle lighting time is really only 35 minutes before “the other” sunset.

All other places at some height above sea level have similar problems.
Tzfat lights candles 30 minutes before sunset. Parts of Petach Tikva follow Jerusalem’s practice of 40 minutes, but some neighborhoods do not.
Some communities calculate Shabbat out at 33 minutes after sunset. Some use the angle of the sun below the horizon to “end Shabbat” (8.5 deg).
Bottom line for now: until we get the chart running smoothly, don’t rely on it exclusively. Cross-check times with calendars and charts. Please report discrepancies to us, so that we can improve our time table.
Also realize that Sfardim and Ashkenazim often has differences in minhag.

Explanation of the Z'manim
Sunrise for Jerusalem does not take into account elevation, since the eastern horizon (where the sun rises) consists of the Hills of Moav across the Jordan River, which are approx. at the same elevation as Jerusalem

Sunset, on the other hand, is given for an elevation of 825m and, in parentheses, as if at sea level. There are different opinions as to which sunset time should be used for halachic purposes. We present both times.
The deadlines for the SH'MA and the Shacharit Amida can be calculated in two ways. Either considering the day to be from sunrise to sunset or from dawn to stars out. The first way of reckoning is known as the opinion of the GR"A, and is the first time given in each case. The second method is known as the Magen Avraham, and is presented in parentheses.

Aside from candle lighting and havdala, the times are presented as a range, from the current Thursday of the issue of Torah Tidbits until the coming Thursday, a span of 8 days. Days between the two Thursdays can be determined by interpolation (which means: a method by which to estimate a value of between two known values - this is something that people above a certain age might remember from high school trigonometry and logarithms, but younger people who went to school during the calculator era might not be familiar with).

It is usually wise to "pad" the times with a minute or two in the "play it safe" direction. E.g. Plag Mincha. Better to finish Mincha a minute or two before the given time. But, better to not light candles until a minute or two after the given time.