Shabbat in RBS has a few local details that newcomers ask about in their first week: which candle-lighting time to use, whether the eruv is up, and where to find a minyan.
Candle lighting: 40 or 20 minutes
Two customs are used in Beit Shemesh. ShemeshPhone publishes both every week, from the Itim LeBina calendar: candle lighting 40 minutes before shkiah (the Jerusalem custom), and 20 minutes before (ShemeshPhone (opens in a new tab)).
This site shows the 40-minute time as the main time, with the 20-minute time beside it on the Shabbat page. Times are calculated by Hebcal for Beit Shemesh, and the calendar feed puts them in your phone. If your shul or family follows the other custom, use that.
The eruv
Beit Shemesh has an eruv. Status and maps are on the eruv website, and the eruv team can be emailed at eruv@shemesh.co.il. For eruv questions the Rabbanut number is 991-1361 (eruv.org directory (opens in a new tab)). That directory entry isn't dated, so check the status page is live before relying on it.
Finding a minyan
- ShemeshPhone runs a minyan finder called Minyan Maven (shemesh.co.il (opens in a new tab)).
- Many English-speaking shuls post weekly zmanim, schedules and newsletters online, including KSY, BTYA, Ahavas Shalom, Ahavat Tzion, BMTL and Ohel Yonah. They're all in the directory, with links to their schedules.
- The Simchat Yechiel "Siach B'Rama" calendar has historically listed minyanim and daf yomi for 35+ RBS A shuls (simchatyechiel.org (opens in a new tab)), though the site looks unmaintained.
- Kehilat Meam Loez describes itself as the only Sephardic Anglo community in RBS (meamloez.org (opens in a new tab)). See the listing.
If someone gets sick on Shabbat
Ezrat Achim and Terem run weekend clinics in RBS on Friday night and Shabbat day. Check the health guide for the April 2025 locations and the number to confirm them.
Motzei Shabbat
The malls open again after Shabbat. BIG Fashion, for example, opens 30 minutes after Shabbat ends (BIG Centers (opens in a new tab)).