This year, Hanukkah and Christmas fall on the same day, marking a rare occurrence. This coincidence provides an opportunity for interfaith understanding and collaboration.
This year, the first night of Hanukkah will fall on the same day as Christmas for the first time since 2005. Christmas and Hanukkah both always fall on the 25th, but of two different months, with Christmas coming on the Dec. 25th of the Gregorian calendar, and Hanukkah starting on the 25th day of the month of Kislev in the Jewish calendar. Hanukkah 's start date on the Gregorian calendar varies year by year because the Jewish calendar is based on luni-solar calendar cycles.
According to Chabad, months under the Hebrew calendar follow a lunar cycle, lasting about 354 days. To keep from falling behind the approximately 365-day solar calendar, there's a 13th month on the Jewish calendar every few years to make a 'leap year.'Another difference is that on the Jewish calendar, holidays begin at sundown and continue through the next day, so Hannukah, which lasts eight days, will get its start this year hours after the start of Christmas. Hanukkah and Christmas have only coincided a handful of times since 1900, according to the Jewish Federations of North America. They started on the same day in 1910, 1921, 1959 and 2005. Rabbi Joshua Stanton, vice president of interfaith initiatives for Jewish Federations of North America, views it as an opportunity for learning, collaboration and togetherness. 'The goal is not proselytizing; it's learning deeply from each other,' Stanton told CBS News in a statement. 'It's others seeing you as you see yourself.'Rabbi Moshe Hauer, executive vice president of the Orthodox Union, said he views the convergence of holidays as an opportunity to value the diverse religious landscape in the U.S.'This is something that we have learned that we must work hard to protect, especially in times of rising antisemitism and other forms of hate,' Hauer told CBS News in an email.The convergence of holidays also offer unique opportunities and challenges for interfaith familie
Hanukkah Christmas Religious Holidays Interfaith Dialogue Coincidence
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