Overnight between Saturday and Sunday, October 25, 2026, Israel will switch to winter time. At 2:00 AM, clocks will be set back one hour to 1:00 AM. We gain an extra hour during the night, but daylight will end earlier in the evening. To mark the change, the Ministry of Economy and Industry explains how Israel's official time is set, how winter time relates to the international time standard, why we may feel more tired during the winter months, and how an atom called cesium helps keep the country's time accurate.

When Does Israel Switch to Winter Time?

On Sunday, October 25, 2026, Israel will switch to winter time. The change takes place overnight between Saturday and Sunday. At 2:00 AM, clocks are set back one hour to 1:00 AM.

The change between summer time and winter time in Israel is set by the Time Determination Law, in its updated version from 2013. Under the law, winter time begins each year on the last Sunday of October.

Winter time continues until the last Friday of March, when clocks are moved forward one hour and summer time begins again.

The purpose of changing the clocks is not simply to give people an extra hour of sleep. It is intended to adjust our daily activities to the changing hours of daylight and darkness throughout the year. During summer time, we have an extra hour of daylight in the evening. In winter, daylight hours are shorter, and many people wake up when it is already light outside.

When Are the UK, US, and Canada Changing Their Clocks?

If you have family and friends abroad, remember that not everyone changes their clocks on the same date!

• United Kingdom: Sunday, October 25, 2026 – the same day as Israel. Clocks go back one hour.

• United States: Sunday, November 1, 2026 – most states will turn clocks back one hour.

• Canada: Sunday, November 1, 2026 – most regions will turn clocks back one hour, although some areas follow different rules.

  National Research Council Canada

What does this mean for calls? Between October 25 and October 31, the time difference between Israel and the UK stays the same, while Israel will be one hour closer in time to most of the US and Canada. From November 1, the time difference with most of the US and Canada will return to its usual winter schedule.

So before calling loved ones, especially early in the morning in Israel, double-check the local time where they live!

Feeling More Tired or Low During Winter? There Is a Reason

During the winter months, there are fewer hours of daylight and more hours of darkness. Changes in our exposure to sunlight can affect the body, sleep patterns, and mood.

One of the hormones involved is melatonin, sometimes called the "darkness hormone." It helps regulate the sleep-wake cycle and align sleep with the body's internal clock. When there is less light, melatonin levels may rise, which can make us feel sleepier and more tired.

Serotonin, another hormone involved in regulating mood and emotions, is also linked to exposure to light. Research suggests that reduced exposure to daylight during winter may be associated with changes in serotonin levels and a lower mood in some people.

As a result, shorter daylight hours can affect more than the time we leave home or return in the evening. They may also influence how alert we feel and our overall mood.

How Is Israel's Winter Time Connected to UTC?

To measure and coordinate time around the world, countries use an international standard known as UTC – Coordinated Universal Time.

UTC serves as a reference point for timekeeping worldwide. It is associated with the zero-degree longitude line, which passes through Greenwich in the United Kingdom, and is used to calculate time differences between different parts of the world.

Israel's official time is known as UTC(INPL). It is maintained by the National Physical Laboratory, which operates under the Ministry of Economy and Industry.

The difference between Israeli time and UTC changes with the season:

• In winter: Israel is two hours ahead of UTC - UTC+2.

• In summer: Israel is three hours ahead of UTC - UTC+3.

Switching between summer time and winter time changes the difference between the local time in Israel and the international standard. It does not change the way Israel's national time is measured and maintained.

What Is Israel's National Clock?

Israel's official time is not based on a single ordinary clock. It is maintained by a precise system at the National Physical Laboratory, which is part of the Ministry of Economy and Industry.

The laboratory serves as Israel's national standard for time and frequency measurements. It is responsible for maintaining the country's official time and carrying out measurements used for a wide range of civilian and commercial needs.

Accurate timekeeping is important for many services, including television broadcasts, telephone calls, computer systems, and other technologies.

According to the Ministry of Economy and Industry, the laboratory's system compares time measurements in Israel with measurements from other national laboratories around the world 86,400 times a day - once every second.

These comparisons help ensure that Israel's time remains accurate and coordinated with time measurements in other countries.

Israel's national time is also regulated by the Time Law of 1992.

How Does an Atom Called Cesium Help Keep Time?

The National Physical Laboratory has three cesium atomic clocks. These clocks are part of the system used to determine Israel's official time.

An atomic clock is based on the precise physical properties of atoms. A cesium clock uses the frequency of a transition between two specific energy levels in a cesium atom. This frequency is extremely stable and accurate, making it possible to measure time with a high degree of precision.

This accuracy matters because many systems we use every day depend on coordinated timekeeping. Communication networks, computers, broadcasts, and other technological systems need reliable time measurements to operate correctly.

Together with the laboratory's measurement equipment and international comparison systems, the three atomic clocks help establish Israel's official time and keep it aligned with accepted international standards and measurements.

Who Is Responsible for Israel's Official Time?

Dr. Oleg Popov, who is responsible for time and frequency measurements at the Ministry of Economy and Industry, explains the meaning of the switch to winter time and the role of the National Physical Laboratory in maintaining Israel's official time.

The laboratory does more than determine the time shown on our clocks. It maintains the national time standard used by a wide range of services and systems in Israel, while continuously comparing its measurements with those of national laboratories around the world.

So, overnight between Saturday and Sunday, October 25, remember to set your clocks back one hour - from 2:00 AM to 1:00 AM. Israel will then be on winter time, two hours ahead of UTC, until the switch back to summer time at the end of March.