Tel Aviv-Yafo, Israel - December 28, 2024 The Jewish religious holiday, Hanukkah, also known as the festival of lights, officially began on Wednesday evening. This year’s Hanukkah festival coincides with Christmas Day for only the fifth time since 1900. Hanukkah means “dedication”, and the holiday marks the rededication of the Temple in Jerusalem in the 2nd century BC, after a small group of Jewish fighters liberated it from occupying forces. The festival is eight days long as with the tiny supply of ritually pure oil the Jewish fighters found in the temple, they lit the menorah and it stayed lit for eight days. Now, on eight consecutive night falls, Jews observing the festival all over the world gather with family and friends to light one candle each night in a menorah.