Emily Barnes and Victoria Reyna-Rodriguez, New York Connect Team

The Jewish holiday of Hanukkah starts in the last full week of December and runs through the first couple days of the new year.

Here's when Hanukkah is this year and how you can celebrate in New York.

Hanukkah begins at sundown on Wednesday, Dec. 25, 2024 and ends at sundown on Thursday, Jan. 2, 2025.

Hanukkah lasts for eight days.

Hanukkah is the festival of lights and means "dedication" in Hebrew. It celebrates the victory of Macabee soldiers, or Jewish freedom fighters, over the Syrian Greek army.

The Macabees reclaimed the holy temple in Jerusalem after their victory. The temple had been converted into a place of idol worship. They located enough oil to light the temple's menorah for one night, but it miraculously burned for eight days, long enough to bring new oil.

Now, one candle on a menorah, or hanukkiah, is lit each night for eight nights to remember the miracle of Hanukkah.

Hanukkah is based on the Hebrew calendar, which uses lunar and solar elements. Therefore, the date shifts each year. Hanukkah is celebrated on the 25th day of Kislev in the Hebrew calendar.

Hanukkah is celebrated by lighting the menorah, eating foods fried in oil like latkes (potato pancakes) and sufganiyot (jelly doughnuts), playing games like dreidel, which is played with a four-sided top and eating gelt (chocolate coins).

Rockland/Westchester Journal News reporter Alexandra Rivera contributed to this report.

Emily Barnes reports on consumer-related issues for the USA TODAY Network's New York Connect Team, focusing on scam and recall-related topics. Follow her on Twitter and Instagram @byemilybarnes. Get in touch at [email protected].