INDIANAPOLIS (WISH) — Community menorah lightings are happening in Indianapolis during Hanukkah. Thursday marks the second night of the Festival of Lights.

The Jewish Federation of Greater Indianapolis shared pictures and videos of the first night’s community celebration at the Jewish Community Campus on the city’s north side. The organization says each night a different group is sponsoring the community lightings. Wednesday’s lighting was made possible because of the Etz Chaim Sephardic Congregation.

Menorah lightings will take place every night through Wednesday, Jan. 1, at the Jewish Community Campus, 6705 Hoover Rd.

Community Menorah Candle Lighting Schedule

Schedule and sponsor information provided by the Jewish Federation of Greater Indianapolis.

• Second night: 5 p.m. Thursday | Hooverwood Living and Jewish Community Center ECE.
• Third night: 4:30 p.m. Friday | Indianapolis Hebrew Congregation and Jewish Community Relations Council.
• Fourth night: 6:45 p.m. Saturday | Hasten Hebrew Academy of Indianapolis.
• Fifth night: 4:30 p.m. Sunday | Congregation Beth Shalom and Congregation Shaarey Tefilla.
• Sixth night: 6:30 p.m. Monday | Indianapolis Jewish Discovery Center.
• Seventh night: 5 p.m. Tuesday | Jewish Federation of Greater Indianapolis and PJ Library.
• Eighth night: 7 p.m. Jan. 1 | Congregation Beth-El Zedeck.

You can go here for holiday resources and all local events happening in Indianapolis this Hanukkah.

This year, Hanukkah started on Christmas Day. The dates fluctuate every year because it follows the lunar Jewish calendar. “Hanukkah occurs on Christmas about five times a century,” the Jewish Federation said.

Hanukkah has started now started on Christmas five times since 1900, including this week. The next Hanukkah-Christmas alignment is in 2035.

Hanukkah is the Festival of Lights and commemorates the rededication of the Temple in Jerusalem after a successful revolt by a band of Jewish fighters called the Maccabees against the Syrian-Greek empire that had attempted to destroy the Jewish faith. According to the Jewish Federation, as part of the rededication, the Jews needed to light the Temple’s menorah, but they only had enough oil to last one day. It would have taken eight days to prepare more oil. In a miracle, the one-day supply of oil lasted for eight days, which is why Hanukkah lasts for eight days.

It is also traditional to eat fried foods on Hanukkah to commemorate the miracle of the oil. These include potato pancakes called latkes and sufganiyot which are similar to jelly doughnuts.

Hanukkah gifts are traditionally small, such as pocket money or something similar. This is where Hanukkah gelt, or chocolate coins, come from. However, as the nearby holiday Christmas grew in influence, so did Hanukkah gifts.