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SYRACUSE, N.Y. -- Today is the first day of Hanukkah, and people gathered in downtown Syracuse to light the Menorah.

Each year a public lighting ceremony is held at Hanover Square to mark the Jewish holiday.

"It's more than just a symbol, we light the menorah here to show that in this wonderful country, we have a country of freedom of religion, not freedom from religion, but freedom of religion," says Rabbi Yaakov Rapoport with Chabad Lubavitch of Central New York.

Hanukkah is also known as the festival of lights, which last eight days and nights.