Israel has shifted to daylight saving time (DST) overnight, tonight, from Thursday, March 27, to Friday, March 28, 2025. At exactly 2:00 a.m., clocks moved forward by one hour, meaning an hour of sleep was lost.
This adjustment will remain in place until standard time is reinstated on October 26, 2025.
Will my alarm clock adjust automatically?Most modern smartphones are set to update the time automatically. However, if you’re unsure, it’s a good idea to verify in the phone’s settings to make sure the automatic time change option is activated. Alternatively, users can manually set the time zone to “Jerusalem.”
Will we gain or lose an hour of sleep?Since the clocks will be moved forward by one hour, everyone will lose an hour of sleep.
Why do clocks change?Israel changes its clocks twice every year, as dictated by the 2013 Time Determination Law. This law establishes that DST starts on the Friday before the final Sunday of March and runs until the last Sunday of October. The shift in time also signals the arrival of warmer seasons.
How will this affect sunrise and sunset?On the final day of standard time, the sun will rise at 5:34 a.m. and set at 5:58 p.m. However, on the first day of DST, sunrise will occur at 6:33 a.m., with sunset happening at 6:59 p.m.
How does standard time affect people?During the winter months, when daylight hours are shorter, the body increases its production of melatonin, a hormone that plays a role in sleep regulation. This often leads to more tiredness and sleepiness. Additionally, serotonin, which influences mood, is affected by the amount of sunlight a person gets. Studies have shown that lower serotonin levels in winter could contribute to feelings of fatigue or a lower mood.
How does the time change impact daily life?The switch between standard time and daylight saving time aligns people’s daily schedules with the natural light cycle. DST gives people more daylight in the evening, while standard time brings the waking hours closer to sunrise, ensuring better use of natural light throughout the day.
Why not keep daylight saving time year-round?Proponents of permanent DST believe that it provides more daylight in the evening, enhancing family time and reducing traffic accidents caused by driving in the dark. However, critics argue that adopting DST year-round could cause Israel’s time to be misaligned with Europe and global markets, potentially raising national energy costs by hundreds of millions of shekels.
What do other countries do?Many nations, especially in Asia, Africa, and South America, have done away with the practice of changing the clocks seasonally. In the United States, there is an ongoing debate on whether to eliminate time changes altogether. In 2019, the European Parliament passed a law giving each member state the choice to either stick to standard time or continue with daylight saving time permanently. In Israel, this issue has been discussed numerous times, but the Knesset has chosen to retain the current system.
When will daylight saving time end?Daylight saving time will end between Motzoei Shabbos, October 25, and Sunday, October 26, 2025, when clocks will fall back by one hour.
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