Jews around the world are marking the start of Hanukkah, the Festival of Lights, which celebrates the rededication of the Second Temple in Jerusalem in the second century B.C. after it was defiled by Syrian Greeks.

While the Jewish holiday of Hanukkah often falls at varying points during November and December, this year's festival of lights begins a bit later - and it comes with a calendar rarity.

Christmas and Hanukkah will coincide on December 25, 2024, due to the differences between the solar-based Gregorian calendar and the lunar-based Hebrew calendar. This rare alignment occurs because the Jewish calendar follows a lunar cycle,

Hanukkah is officially underway with an enthusiastic kickoff Wednesday night in San Francisco’s Union Square drawing in several hundred to witness the lighting of a three-ton menorah.

The first night of the Jewish holiday of Hanukkah is underway. On the first night of Hanukkah, one candle is lit from the eight candle menorah and there is a story behind this. The holiday of Hanukkah celebrates the victory over the Syrian Greeks and the light of the menorah that burned for eight days with just a little bit of oil.