How Often Does Hanukkah Start on Christmas?

For the primary time since 2005, the primary night time of Hanukkah will fall on the identical day as Christmas. 

The two winter holidays converge a median of 5 occasions a century, in accordance with Rabbi Joseph Potasnik, Executive Vice President of the New York Board of Rabbis. 

Since 1900, the primary night time of Hanukkah has fallen on December 25 5 occasions: 1910, 1921, 1959, 2005, and now 2024. The first night time of Hanukkah, which begins on the twenty fifth day of the Jewish month Kislev, adjustments 12 months to 12 months as a result of the Jewish calendar depends on a lunar calendar, based mostly on how lengthy it takes the moon to go across the solar. The lunar calendar is about 354 days lengthy, versus the 365-day photo voltaic calendar, which is the time it takes for the Earth to revolve across the solar. 

That shorter lunar calendar implies that from one 12 months to the subsequent, Hanukkah, which lasts eight nights, will begin 11 days earlier. Hanukkah can start as early as Thanksgiving, however New York Board of Rabbis President Elie Weinstock notes that the Festival of Lights at all times occurs within the winter as a result of Jewish custom requires holidays to happen throughout specific seasons. 

To account for that, the Jewish calendar has leap years which add a further thirteenth month. “The manner this works is that the solar within the moon are in the very same place each 19 years,” says Weinstock. “In that 19-year cycle, there are seven leap years.”

While Hanukkah and Christmas are celebrated by totally different religions, the 2 share related messaging across the want for extra good and peace world wide. “It’s a mitzvah to deliver gentle into the world. If you take a look at Christmas, it is all about bringing gentle and love,” says Potasnik. “We each consider that now we have a particular obligation to light up this world with love and kindness.”