Hanukkah, unlike that other December holiday you may have heard of, falls on a different day every year. The Jewish calendar is based on lunar cycles, which does not sync with the Gregorian calendar. This year, Hanukkah starts at sundown on Wednesday, Dec. 25. (Fun fact: this has only happened three times in the last 100 years: 2005, 1959 and 1921.)

In celebration of The Festival of Lights, The Daniel M. Hoan Memorial Bridge will be lit as a menorah each night of Hanukkah in partnership with Light The Hoan. The Milwaukee Jewish Federation encourages those who honor Hanukkah to light their menorahs at the same time as the lighting of the bridge.

“Lighting the Hoan Bridge for Hanukkah is a symbol of the Milwaukee Jewish Federation’s commitment to being a guiding light for those in need,” says organizers at Milwaukee Jewish Federation. “From providing statewide security for Jewish institutions to offering aid to those in crisis around the world, supporting the Milwaukee Jewish Federation this Hanukkah helps empower critical programs that can uplift lives. We invite everyone in the Milwaukee area to join together to watch this meaningful light display on the Hoan.”

Candle lighting times for "Hanukkah on the Hoan":

• Wednesday, Dec. 25 at 6 p.m.
  Lighting of the Shamash (helper candle) and first candle of the menorah.
• Thursday, Dec. 26 at 6 p.m.
  Lighting of the second candle.
• Friday, Dec. 27 at 4 p.m.
  Early lighting for Shabbat and lighting of the third candle.
• Saturday, Dec. 28  through Tuesday, Dec. 31 at 6 p.m.
  Lighting of the next four candles.
• Wednesday, Jan. 1 at 6 p.m.
  Lighting of the eighth and final candle.

To learn more about this and other Hanukkah programs in the area visit MilwaukeeJewish.org/Hanukkah.