Hanukkah began at sundown Wednesday night as Jews across Arizona and around the world celebrate what many refer to as the "Festival of Lights."
The eight-day celebration began at sundown on Dec. 25.
Learn more about why Christmas and Hanukkah overlap this year in the video player below:
Hanukkah commemorates when the Jews were able to reclaim the Holy Temple in Jerusalem from the Greeks around 200 BC. To celebrate, the small army lit the menorah inside the temple but only had enough oil for the menorah to burn one night. Miraculously, the menorah continued to burn for eight days, which is why Hanukkah lasts eight days.
Recently, ABC15's Nick Ciletti had a conversation with Rabbi Mendy Deitsch from Chabad of the East Valley about what lessons we can all learn from Hanukkah.
"So Hanukkah tells us that we can do an action, any action that we do, if it's a positive one, we are making a difference in the world around us," explains Rabbi Deitsch. "So on Hanukkah, we light the menorah - one simple little candle. It's not a big torch. It's a very simple candle. The idea is that any simple small act makes a huge difference in the world around us."
Hanukkah celebrations wrap on January 2.
To learn more about Hanukkah traditions and where to celebrate, click here.
