What is the country code for Israel?

Israel's country code is +972, assigned by the International Telecommunication Union (ITU) under the E.164 standard. Dial it immediately after the US exit code (011) or the + symbol.

Do I need to drop the 0 when calling an Israeli number from the US?

Yes. Israeli numbers use a leading 0 for domestic calls (e.g., 03 for Tel Aviv, 052 for mobile). When dialing from outside Israel, always remove the 0 and dial the remaining digits after +972.

How much does Sayfone charge to call Israel?

Sayfone offers calls to Israel at $0.32 per minute with transparent per-minute pricing. You call directly from your browser with no app download required.

What is the time difference between the US and Israel?

Israel is typically 7 hours ahead of US Eastern Time. During the brief periods when US and Israeli DST transitions don't align (late March and late October/early November), the gap can temporarily shift by 1 hour.

What is the best time to call Israel from the US for a personal call?

Aim for 12:00 PM – 3:00 PM Eastern Time, which is 7:00 PM – 10:00 PM in Israel. This is a comfortable evening window for family and personal calls.

How do I call an Israeli mobile number from my US phone?

Dial +972 followed by the 2-digit mobile prefix (e.g., 50, 52, 53, 54, 58) and the 7-digit subscriber number. For example, if the local mobile is 052-XXX-XXXX, dial +972 52 XXX XXXX.

Can I call Israeli landlines and mobiles with Sayfone?

Yes. Sayfone supports calls to Israeli landline and mobile numbers at $0.32/min. Enter the number in international format (+972 followed by the local number without the leading 0) and call from your browser.

Are businesses in Israel open on Sundays?

Yes. Sunday is a regular business day in Israel. The weekend is Friday–Saturday, with most businesses closing Friday afternoon for Shabbat and reopening Sunday morning.

Quick Answer

How to Call Israel from the United States

To call Israel from the US, dial 011 + 972 + the local number (drop the leading 0). For mobiles, the format is 011-972-5X-XXX-XXXX. With Sayfone, call Israel for $0.32/min from your browser.

Start calling

Cost tools

🇺🇸From United States

To Israel🇮🇱

$0.32

Per minute

+972

Country code

Call quality

Landline rate

$0.32/min

Mobile rate

$0.32/min

Same per-minute Sayfone rate for landline and mobile.

Average call quality

Israel's country code is +972, assigned under the ITU E.164 standard. With Sayfone, you can place calls to Israel at $0.32/min directly from your browser—no app download required.

Steps at a glance

Dial 011 (US international access code) or press + on a mobile phone
Dial 972 (Israel's country code)
Dial the area code or mobile prefix (drop the leading 0)
Dial the 7-digit subscriber number

Sources

1
ITU E.164 National Numbering Plan — Israel (+972)
Confirms country code +972 and number length rules
2
Telephone numbers in Israel — Wikipedia
Dialing format and area code reference

STEP-BY-STEP

How to Dial an Israeli Number from the US

Follow these steps to reach any landline, mobile, or VoIP number in Israel. The key difference between landline and mobile calls is the prefix length after +972.

1
Dial the US exit code
From a US landline, dial 011. From a US mobile phone, you can press and hold 0 to enter the + symbol instead, which replaces the exit code.
```
011 or +
```
2
Dial Israel's country code
Enter 972, which is Israel's country code assigned by the ITU under the E.164 numbering standard.
```
011 972 or +972
```
3
Dial the area code or mobile prefix (without the leading 0)
Israeli local numbers begin with a 0 for domestic calls, but you must drop it when dialing internationally. Landline area codes are a single digit (e.g., 2 for Jerusalem, 3 for Tel Aviv). Mobile prefixes are two digits starting with 5 (e.g., 50, 52, 53, 54, 58).
```
011 972 3 (Tel Aviv landline) or +972 52 (mobile)
```
4
Dial the 7-digit subscriber number
Complete the call by entering the remaining seven digits of the subscriber number. The full international number will be 12 digits for landlines and 13 digits for mobiles (including the country code).
```
011 972 3 XXX XXXX (landline) or +972 52 XXX XXXX (mobile)
```

Dialing format reference

+972

Use these patterns when entering a full international number to +972.

Mobile

+972 5N XXX XXXX

Landline

+972 A XXX XXXX

+972 2 XXX XXXX (Jerusalem landline)
+972 3 XXX XXXX (Tel Aviv landline)
+972 52 XXX XXXX (mobile)

Major city area codes

Jerusalem2

Tel Aviv3

Haifa & North4

South (Beersheba, Eilat, Ashdod)8

Sharon (Netanya, Kfar Saba)9

Sources

1
ITU E.164 National Numbering Plan — Israel (+972)
Official number length and NDC structure
2
Telephone numbers in Israel — Wikipedia
Area codes, mobile prefixes, and format details

DIALING RULES

Key Rules for Calling Israel from the US

Israel uses a closed dialing plan. A few format details can make the difference between a connected call and an error tone.

Always drop the leading 0

Israeli numbers start with 0 for domestic dialing (e.g., 03 for Tel Aviv, 052 for mobile). When calling from the US, remove the 0 and dial the rest after +972. Keeping the 0 adds an extra digit and the call will fail.

Landline numbers: 8 digits after +972

Israeli landlines have a 1-digit area code plus a 7-digit subscriber number, totaling 8 digits after the country code. Example: +972 2 XXX XXXX (Jerusalem).

Mobile numbers: 9 digits after +972

Israeli mobile numbers use a 2-digit prefix (starting with 5) plus a 7-digit subscriber number, totaling 9 digits after the country code. Example: +972 54 XXX XXXX.

011 vs. + from US phones

From a US landline, dial 011 before the country code. From a US mobile, you can use the + symbol (press and hold 0 or tap +) instead of 011. Both methods route identically.

Some special numbers may not work internationally

Israeli emergency numbers (100, 101, 102) and short-code services (e.g., *-prefixed USSD codes) are domestic only and cannot be reached from outside Israel.

TIMING TIPS

When to Call Israel from the US

Israel is 7 hours ahead of US Eastern Time during summer (EDT/IDT) and 7 hours ahead during winter (EST/IST). The offset stays at 7 hours for most of the year, but brief gaps when DST transitions differ can shift it to 6 or 8 hours temporarily.

🇮🇱

Israel observes daylight saving time (Israel Daylight Time, UTC+3) from the last Friday of March through the last Sunday of October. US daylight saving runs from the second Sunday of March through the first Sunday of November. The slight mismatch means the gap briefly changes during late March and late October/early November.

Time & windows

Israel Standard Time (IST)

UTC+2

Late October – late March

Israel Daylight Time (IDT)

UTC+3

Late March – late October

Typical US Eastern offset

+7 hours

Israel is 7 hours ahead for most of the year

🇺🇸Morning call (Israel 9 AM–12 PM)

2:00 AM – 5:00 AM ETEarly for US callers; works for urgent business

🇺🇸Afternoon call (Israel 2 PM–5 PM)

7:00 AM – 10:00 AM ETGood overlap for US morning and Israel business hours

🇺🇸Evening call (Israel 7 PM–10 PM)

12:00 PM – 3:00 PM ETIdeal for personal and family calls

🇺🇸Late evening call (Israel 10 PM)

3:00 PM ETLatest comfortable time for personal calls

Calling tips

For family and personal calls, aim for Israel's evening hours (7–10 PM), which fall during US midday—a convenient overlap.
Israel's weekend is Friday–Saturday. Businesses are typically closed from Friday afternoon through Saturday evening (Shabbat). Sunday is a regular business day.
During Jewish holidays (Rosh Hashanah, Yom Kippur, Sukkot, Passover, etc.), many businesses close and personal schedules shift. Plan around these dates for business calls.
For US West Coast callers (PT), add 3 more hours to the ET-based windows above—Israel evening at 7 PM is 9 AM PT.

Business etiquette

Israeli business culture is direct and informal. Getting straight to the point is generally appreciated.
Sunday through Thursday are standard business days. Friday is a short workday—many offices close by early afternoon.
Hebrew is the primary business language, but English is widely spoken in technology, finance, and international trade sectors.
When scheduling recurring calls, confirm whether both countries have shifted clocks for DST to avoid off-by-one-hour surprises.

Sources

1
Israel Standard Time — Wikipedia
IST UTC+2, IDT UTC+3, DST transition dates

TROUBLESHOOTING

Common Issues Calling Israel from the US

If your call to Israel isn't connecting, check these frequent causes before retrying.

Call fails immediately after dialing

The most common cause is leaving the leading 0 in the number. If the Israeli local number is 052-XXX-XXXX, dial +972 52 XXX XXXX (without the 0). Adding the 0 creates an extra digit and the network will reject the call.

Wrong number of digits

Israeli landlines have 8 digits after +972 (1-digit area code + 7-digit number). Mobiles have 9 digits (2-digit prefix + 7-digit number). If your total digit count doesn't match, double-check the number.

Using 011 on a mobile phone

While 011 works from US mobiles, the + symbol is more reliable for international dialing on smartphones. If 011 isn't connecting, try +972 instead.

Calling during Shabbat or holidays

If you're trying to reach a business in Israel on Friday evening through Saturday evening, or during Jewish holidays, the office is likely closed. Personal numbers should still ring normally.

Some special numbers may not work internationally

Israeli emergency numbers, short codes, and USSD service codes are for domestic use only and cannot be dialed from outside Israel.

Sources

1
Telephone numbers in Israel — Wikipedia
Number format and trunk prefix rules

Savings

See what you could save

Adjust the tools below to compare Sayfone with typical retail pricing for calls to Israel. Start with one call, then layer on monthly volume to see the bigger picture.

How to use these tools

Sayfone uses your live rate for calls to Israel — the same basis as the rest of this page.
First, estimate savings on a single call length. Then, model a full month of minutes versus typical retail benchmarks.
Retail competitor rows are illustrative — not a quote from any carrier.