Hanukkah is officially underway with an enthusiastic kickoff Wednesday night in San Francisco’s Union Square drawing in several hundred to witness the lighting of a three-ton menorah.

The first night of the Jewish holiday of Hanukkah is underway. On the first night of Hanukkah, one candle is lit from the eight candle menorah and there is a story behind this. The holiday of Hanukkah celebrates the victory over the Syrian Greeks and the light of the menorah that burned for eight days with just a little bit of oil.

It was only the second time in the past 40 years that Christmas and the start of Hanukkah fell on the same day.