Shabbat Times in Shanghai

Shabbat, the Jewish day of rest, begins at sunset on Friday and ends after nightfall on Saturday. In Shanghai, candle lighting is performed 18 minutes before sunset, following local communal custom. Havdalah, the ceremony that concludes Shabbat, is recited after nightfall (tzait haKochavim, when three medium-sized stars are visible). We display the 72-minute opinion by default; the 8.5° (GRA) opinion corresponds to approximately 36 minutes after sunset at equinox, and 16.1° (Rabbeinu Tam) to approximately 72 minutes.

The weekly Torah portion (Parashat HaShavua) this week is Bereshis, read in synagogues across Shanghai on Shabbat morning.

The blessing recited when lighting Shabbat candles (Hadlakat Nerot) is one of the most cherished rituals welcoming the Sabbath. It is traditionally recited after lighting the candles, waving the hands over the flames in a welcoming gesture, and covering the eyes — so that the blessing precedes the act of enjoying the light.

In Shanghai, candles are lit 18 minutes before sunset — at 17:12 this week. The minimum is one candle, though many families light two (representing “Shamor” and “Zachor”, the two words used in the Torah to command Shabbat observance), and some add a candle for each member of the household. Source: Shulchan Aruch, Orach Chayim 263.

Shanghai hosts the largest Jewish community in mainland China — roughly 2,000 residents plus a steady flow of business travelers. Three Chabad-Lubavitch centers serve the city: the Shanghai Jewish Center (Hongqiao), the Chabad Jewish Center of Pudong, and the Intown Jewish Center (Wuding Road), all offering Shabbat services, meals, and kosher food.

The city also holds a singular place in Jewish history: during World War II, Shanghai — an open port requiring no visa — sheltered about 20,000 Jewish refugees fleeing Europe, most of them in the Hongkou district. The Shanghai Jewish Refugees Museum, housed in the restored Ohel Moshe Synagogue, commemorates this episode. The historic Sephardic Ohel Rachel Synagogue (1920) still stands and opens for special occasions.

• Shabbat services and meals at three Chabad centers (Hongqiao, Pudong, Intown)
• Shanghai Jewish Refugees Museum in the former Ohel Moshe Synagogue (Hongkou)
• Kosher food and a Chabad school serving the community
• Candle-lighting offset: 18 minutes before sunset, following local custom

Planning a Shabbat in Shanghai? Check the full-year Shabbat schedule for Shanghai and the daily Zmanim. Community details above reflect publicly listed centers and may change — contact the centers directly for current schedules and kosher arrangements.