Hanukkah festivities light up Jerusalem as the Jewish holiday begins on Wednesday. This year marks a rare convergence, as Hanukkah and Christmas share the same date for the first time since 2005.

When does Hanukkah start this year? And what's the correct way to light a menorah? Here are answers to some of the key questions people usually ask about Hanukkah.

Christmas Day also marks the beginning of the Jewish holiday Hanukkah - it's the first time in 19 years that both holidays begin at the same time. The eight-day-long festival features the lighting of a Hanukkah menorah every evening to symbolize God's presence.

But did you know that it's also Hanukkah? This year, Hanukkah begins with Christmas on the night of Wednesday, Dec. 25. Because the start of Hanukkah is tied to the Hebrew calendar, the dates change from year to year and the holiday can happen between late November and late December.

The holidays are extra special this year. Not only is Dec. 25 Christmas, but it marks the beginning of Hanukkah. This particular alignment of the holidays is rare. In fact, it has only occurred four other times since 1900,

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,