Jewish life in Panama
Yom Tov times in Panama City
Every Yom Tov in the coming 12 months: candle lighting each night, when Yom Tov ends, and the reminders that go with it. All times are Panama time.
Times are Panama time (UTC−5). Panama doesn’t change its clocks.
The coming 12 months
Yom Tov, night by night
Two days, as kept outside Israel. Where Yom Tov runs into Shabbat, the Shabbat is part of the same card.
Pesach I–II and Shabbat
Wed, Apr 21 – Sat, Apr 24, 2027
Chol Hamoed Pesach
- Eruv tavshilin: make it on Wed, Apr 21, before candle lighting, so you may cook on Yom Tov for Shabbat.
- Erev Pesach (Wed, Apr 21): finish eating chametz by ; burn and sell it by (GRA; the Magen Avraham’s times are earlier).
- Candle lightingWed, Apr 21
- Candle lightingThu, Apr 22
- Not before (after nightfall, from an existing flame): Shevet Ahim · Beth El or Chabad
- Candle lightingFri, Apr 23
- Yom Tov endsSat, Apr 24 · Shevet Ahim and Beth El
- Yom Tov endsSat, Apr 24 · Chabad
Pesach VII–VIII
Tue, Apr 27 – Thu, Apr 29, 2027
- Candle lightingTue, Apr 27
- Candle lightingWed, Apr 28
- Not before (after nightfall, from an existing flame): Shevet Ahim · Beth El or Chabad
- Yom Tov endsThu, Apr 29 · Shevet Ahim and Beth El
- Yom Tov endsThu, Apr 29 · Chabad
Shavuot I–II and Shabbat
Thu, Jun 10 – Sat, Jun 12, 2027
- Eruv tavshilin: make it on Thu, Jun 10, before candle lighting, so you may cook on Yom Tov for Shabbat.
- Candle lightingThu, Jun 10
- Candle lightingFri, Jun 11
- Yom Tov endsSat, Jun 12 · Shevet Ahim and Beth El
- Yom Tov endsSat, Jun 12 · Chabad
Rosh Hashana I–II and Shabbat
Fri, Oct 1 – Sun, Oct 3, 2027
- Candle lightingFri, Oct 1
- Candle lightingSat, Oct 2
- Not before (after nightfall, from an existing flame): Shevet Ahim · Beth El or Chabad
- Yom Tov endsSun, Oct 3 · Shevet Ahim and Beth El
- Yom Tov endsSun, Oct 3 · Chabad
Yom Kippur
Sun, Oct 10 – Mon, Oct 11, 2027
- The fast begins at sunset on Sun, Oct 10, after candle lighting, and ends with Yom Kippur.
- Candle lightingSun, Oct 10
- Fast endsMon, Oct 11 · Shevet Ahim and Beth El
- Fast endsMon, Oct 11 · Chabad
Sukkot I–II and Shabbat
Fri, Oct 15 – Sun, Oct 17, 2027
- Candle lightingFri, Oct 15
- Candle lightingSat, Oct 16
- Not before (after nightfall, from an existing flame): Shevet Ahim · Beth El or Chabad
- Yom Tov endsSun, Oct 17 · Shevet Ahim and Beth El
- Yom Tov endsSun, Oct 17 · Chabad
Shmini Atzeret, Simchat Torah and Shabbat
Fri, Oct 22 – Sun, Oct 24, 2027
- Candle lightingFri, Oct 22
- Candle lightingSat, Oct 23
- Not before (after nightfall, from an existing flame): Shevet Ahim · Beth El or Chabad
- Yom Tov endsSun, Oct 24 · Shevet Ahim and Beth El
- Yom Tov endsSun, Oct 24 · Chabad
The year ahead
Fast days
Minor fasts run from dawn (16.1°) to nightfall (7.083°); Tisha B’Av from sunset the evening before to 6.45°. Many communities end fasts later.
Asara B’Tevet
- BeginsSun, Dec 20, 2026
- EndsSun, Dec 20
Ta’anit Esther
- BeginsMon, Mar 22, 2027
- EndsMon, Mar 22
Ta’anit Bechorot
Kept by firstborn men
- BeginsWed, Apr 21, 2027
- EndsWed, Apr 21
Tzom Tammuz
- BeginsThu, Jul 22, 2027
- EndsThu, Jul 22
Tish’a B’Av
- BeginsWed, Aug 11, 2027
- EndsThu, Aug 12
Tzom Gedaliah
- BeginsMon, Oct 4, 2027
- EndsMon, Oct 4
How we work these out
The method, in plain words
Candle lighting
18 minutes before sunset on the first night, as Shevet Ahim, Beth El and Chabad publish. On a second night, and when Yom Tov follows Shabbat, not before nightfall: about 35 minutes after sunset (Shevet Ahim and Beth El) or the sun 8.5° below the horizon (Chabad). When Yom Tov falls on Friday, Shabbat candles are lit before sunset as every week.
Dates and rounding
Dates from Hebcal.com (CC BY 4.0); every time calculated by us for Panama City and checked against Hebcal’s to within a minute. Candle lighting rounds earlier and the end of Yom Tov later. Our times may be a minute earlier or later than a shul’s printed sheet.
Your community’s published time takes precedence. Shabbat times · Daily zmanim
Questions
Yom Tov in Panama: what people ask
Why does the second night say “not before”?
On the second night of Yom Tov, and when Yom Tov begins on Motzei Shabbat, candles are lit only after nightfall, from a flame that has been burning since before Yom Tov. We show the earliest time under each opinion: Shevet Ahim and Beth El first, then Chabad.
What is an eruv tavshilin, and when do I need one?
When Yom Tov falls on Friday, cooking on Yom Tov for Shabbat is allowed only if an eruv tavshilin was made the day before Yom Tov began: a cooked food and a baked food set aside with a blessing. Each Yom Tov below that needs one shows the day to make it. In a hotel, ask your host or the shul about it in advance.
Does Panama keep one day or two?
Two. Panama is outside Israel, so the communities keep two days of Yom Tov (Rosh Hashana is two days everywhere). The dates here follow the calendar kept outside Israel.
When does Yom Kippur begin and end?
Light candles 18 minutes before sunset on Erev Yom Kippur; the fast begins by sunset. It ends with nightfall the next evening: about 35 minutes after sunset by Shevet Ahim’s and Beth El’s sheets, or when the sun is 8.5° below the horizon (Chabad). Many shuls announce their own time for the end of the fast; follow it.
Talk to a person
Questions about Panama? Ask us.
Two people answer: Jack and Shlomo. WhatsApp is usually fastest. You can also write to info@panamaunpacked.com.