interview

TIMECatching Up WithAn interview with Yossele Algorithm Shoinkufitzky
by Rabbi Avraham Weissman

As a writer for Hamodia, I am used to getting all kinds ofinteresting emails. But when a message arrived in my inbox
that began with the following sentences, it piqued my interest.
“I’m only 15 years old and we’ve never met — but I know you.
How? Because I run for you.
In fact, on a typical day I run about 780,000 times.
If you’re thinking, ‘This is just weird; I dunno WHAT the guy is talking about,’ I get it.
But hear me out, cuz I’m one of the gang (the tzitzis-wearing, siddur-toting gang).
The name’s Algie. (Full name is Yossele Algorithm Shoinkufitzky,but only my great-uncle calls me that.)”
As it turned out, it was a fundraising email from the formula that powers MyZmanim.
It took many months of email exchanges (it turns out that he issuper-busy) before Hamodia was finally able to catch Yossele —the talking algorithm — and get an exclusive interview.

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October 10, 201910/6/2019 10:51:55 PMWhat is an algorithm?

An algorithm is the process by which a computer calculates something. As a zmanim algorithm,my job is to take the steps necessary to calculate
zmanim, times for a given location.

How do the people at MyZmanim make sure you’rebehaving?

The people at MyZmanim don’t just assume I’mdoing my job. They have erected a network of specialized cameras throughout the world which they
use to closely observe the sun. As long as my times
match what they see, they know I’m performingwell.

How old are you?

In March I’ll be 21.

How many locations around the world can you
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process?

5,031,411 locations … and counting.

How did you get the name “Yossel”?

I’m named after the man who would sponsor thepublication of candle lighting times on the front
page of each week’s New York Times, about 25 years
ago.

What are the most used zmanim?

Shabbos start/end times and daily shkiah.

What time of the year are you the busiest?

Before Rosh Hashanah tens of thousands of printable calendars are generated in a short time span.
Each time a calendar is generated I have to run hundreds of times. My head is spinning like crazy.

What inspired the person who built you to start this111

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Zmanim approximations for
JFK → TLV (Eastbound) flights
departing on Thursday, October 10, 2019myzmanim.com™

From: (JFK) New York, United States
To: (TLV) Tel­Aviv, Israel
Direction: EastboundDistance: 5661 miles / 9111 kmAll times are in New York time.
Daylight saving time

Use this tile if TAKEOFF wasbetween 1:50pm and 2:00pm

Use this tile if TAKEOFF wasbetween 2:00pm and 2:10pm

Use this tile if TAKEOFF wasbetween 2:10pm and 2:20pm

Use this tile if TAKEOFF wasbetween 2:20pm and 2:30pm

Use this tile if TAKEOFF wasbetween 2:30pm and 2:40pm

Plag HaMincha Thu: 3:28pm ‐ 4:07pm

Plag HaMincha Thu: 3:33pm ‐ 4:12pm

Plag HaMincha Thu: 3:38pm ‐ 4:16pm

Plag HaMincha Thu: 3:43pm ‐ 4:21pm

Plag HaMincha Thu: 3:48pm ‐ 4:25pm

SunsetThu: 4:04pm ‐ 4:42pm

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SunsetThu: 4:19pm ‐ 4:57pm

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Dawn

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Earliest Talis

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Earliest Talis

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Earliest Talis

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SunriseThu: 11:30pm ‐ 11:53pm

SunriseThu: 11:30pm ‐ 11:56pm

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LANDING

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LANDING

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LANDING

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LANDING

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Use this tile if TAKEOFF was
between 2:40pm and 2:50pm

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between 2:50pm and 3:00pm

Use this tile if TAKEOFF wasbetween 3:00pm and 3:10pm

Use this tile if TAKEOFF was
between 3:10pm and 3:20pm

Use this tile if TAKEOFF was
between 3:20pm and 3:30pm

Plag HaMincha Thu: 3:53pm ‐ 4:30pm

Plag HaMincha Thu: 3:57pm ‐ 4:34pm

Plag HaMincha Thu: 4:02pm ‐ 4:38pm

Plag HaMincha Thu: 4:07pm ‐ 4:43pm

Plag HaMincha Thu: 4:12pm ‐ 4:47pm

SunsetThu: 4:29pm ‐ 5:07pm

SunsetThu: 4:33pm ‐ 5:12pm

SunsetThu: 4:38pm ‐ 5:17pm

SunsetThu: 4:43pm ‐ 5:21pm

SunsetThu: 4:48pm ‐ 5:26pm

Nightfall

Thu: 4:53pm ‐ 5:32pm

Nightfall

Thu: 4:57pm ‐ 5:37pm

Nightfall

Thu: 5:02pm ‐ 5:42pm

Nightfall

Thu: 5:07pm ‐ 5:47pm

Nightfall

Thu: 5:11pm ‐ 5:52pm

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Thu: 7:42pm ‐ 8:23pm

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Earliest Talis

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Thu: 11:03pm ‐ 11:39pmEarliest Talis

Thu: 11:06pm ‐ 11:42pm

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Thu: 11:10pm ‐ 11:45pm

SunriseThu: 11:33pm ‐ 12:08am

SunriseThu: 11:36pm ‐ 12:12am

SunriseThu: 11:39pm ‐ 12:15am

SunriseThu: 11:42pm ‐ 12:19am

SunriseThu: 11:46pm ‐ 12:22am

LANDING

Thu: 11:44pm ‐ 12:57am

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Thu: 11:54pm ‐ 1:07am

LANDING

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Fri: 12:24am ‐ 1:37am

remarkable organization?

As a teenager he attended a fascinating summer learning-group shiur given by Rabbi Yair Hoffman on the topic
of the mechanics of the Jewish calendar. After the shiur heasked Rabbi Hoffman if there was a way — based on the rules
he had taught — to convert dates between the secular andJewish calendars. Rabbi Hoffman gladly sat with him, andtogether they worked it out. He then wrote a Windows application to handle this task automatically. Recognizing that
there was a need for instant zmanim information, my developer set out to extend me so I could support zmanim information. Four years later, when the internet started becoming
popular, he converted me into a website and MyZmanim wasfounded.
The person who built me regards it as a huge privilege
to be able to serve the tzibbur. This passion has motivated
him to continue maintaining and expanding MyZmanim
throughout the years.

Tzeis Hakochavim — a Quick Rundown

The appearance of three stars is the primary way in which
the Gemara teaches us to identify nightfall. (The Gemara
also states that nightfall occurs as early as 3/4 of a Mil aftersunset, however, common practice in most communities isto be stringent and wait at least until three stars can be seen.)
Have you ever wondered why the stars come out only atnight? The truth is that the stars are always “out,” only wecan’t see them during the day because the light from the sun
overpowers the dim light from the stars. As the day draws to aclose, the light from the sun becomes weaker and eventually
the light from the stars overpowers the fading light from thesun.
Hence, tzeis hakochavim — the appearance of the stars —occurs when a certain degree of darkness is present.
In astronomy, degrees of darkness are measured in termsof the sun’s position beneath the horizon. The further the sunsinks below the horizon, the darker it gets.
Harav Yechiel Michel Tucazinsky, zt”l, was able to see
three kochavim when the sun reaches 6.5 degrees and he was
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able to see three kochavim ketanim when the sun reaches 8.5
degrees. The figure of 8.5 degrees is also very close to the figure given by Harav Moshe Feinstein, zt”l, for zman Motzoei
Shabbos.
Throughout the years, many Rabbanim have observed thenight sky and have recorded how many minutes past shkiah
it took for stars to appear.
We’d love to hear how many minutes it takes for you to see
the stars!

What shittah do you list and why?

We never tell people which zman they should follow. Our
goal is to provide every kehillah with zmanim that are inaccordance with its own minhagim.

How can users access the information you calculate?
By calling:(USA: 516-796-2646 • CAN: 514-667-7164 •UK: 020-3006-3117 • IL: 02-6509626)
By texting :(USA: 516-261-6262 • CAN: 514-613-5588 •UK: 07533-019887 • IL: 052-5230626)
By visiting the website www.myzmanim.com.
By browsing the mobile web site:
http://m.myzmanim.com/
By subscribing to daily zmanim alerts.
By printing the PDF calendar:
http://cal.myzmanim.com/
By ordering zmanim spreadsheets:
http://sheets.myzmanim.com/

You also have a special service for those traveling by airplane.
How do you figure out the zmanim for a specific flight?

I calculate in-flight zmanim based on actual flightpaths
collected from previous flights. It’s a little complicated, but
I’ll give you the abridged version.
Most commercial aircraft broadcast their location periodically while flying. These signals allow the aircraft tobe tracked by air traffic control and by other aircraft in the112

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region. The people at MyZmanim
have erected specialized antennae
in strategic locations to intercept
the signals, track the aircraft, andstore their routes in a database.
Whenever a MyZmanim user
enters a flight code, I search thedatabase and instantly generate alist of previous flight paths for thegiven flight. I then build statistics
based on those flightpaths, which
in turn enable me to accurately
project when the zmanim will beon the next flight.

There are some flights in which
it never gets dark. Why is that soand what happens to Maariv andevening Shema?

At the Arctic Circle, the sun does
not set all summer long. Sometimes
a flight will enter the Arctic Circle
before shkiah and exit the Arctic
Circle after netz hachamah thenext morning. When this happens,
passengers undergo a transitionof date, without experiencing anynighttime. It is worthwhile to avoid
taking flights like this. If you must
be on such a flight, contact yourlocal Orthodox Rabbi for guidance.
Also, on westbound flights, theaircraft moves together with thesun. This can give passengers theimpression that the clock is running slowly or not moving at all.
In some instances, the flight takes
off at 5 p.m., and the time remains
5 p.m. (relative to the sun) for theentire duration of the flight, eventhough the flight lands at 5 p.m.
the following day. When this happens one does not daven Maariv orrecite evening Shema in-flight.

How is this venture funded?

We don’t have any big supporters. This venture is funded entirely by donations from appreciativeusers. Contributions enable us
to cover the costs of technology,
ongoing tweaking and constantupgrades which are essential tomaintaining an organization of thismagnitude.n
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