Hundreds gather in DC for the annual National Menorah Lighting

WASHINGTON, D.C. - Several hundred people gathered in D.C. on the night of Hanukkah for the annual National Menorah Lighting.

Held on the Ellipse outside the White House, the event was organized by the American Friends of Lubavitch. This year, the first night of Hanukkah fell on the same day as Christmas for the first time since 2005.

Rabbi Fabian Werbin of Kol Shalom in Rockville said Hanukkah dates vary year to year due to the Jewish calendar.

"The Jewish calendar goes by the moon and also by the sun, so it’s a lunar calendar that gets updated by the sun," Rabbi Werbin said. "In a nutshell, in a cycle of 19 years, there are 7 years worth of leap years. Instead of adding one day, we add one month. We make sure that always, Passover first in the spring. We need to add one month."

At the ceremony Wednesday, some attendees were not Jewish, but they came out to support the community. Kathleen Breslin is visiting from New Jersey.

"My niece is Jewish. Other friends are Jewish," Breslin said. "It’s very emotional. Look where we are. We are in front of the White House. To me, it’s one of the fundamental freedoms of our country. Freedom of speech, religion. I think that’s what we have here today."

The National Menorah Lighting is estimated to reach around 17 million people worldwide due to the event being broadcasted and other forms of streaming.