While the Christmas season is often the focus of holiday talk, those celebrating Chanukah are showing others what the Jewish holiday means.

Saturday was the first night of Chanukah. The Jewish Community Center of Austin celebrated this weekend with "Chanukah in the Hood," a community celebration with a festival of lights, live music and kids' activities.

A number of children's choirs performed at Central Market on North Lamar.

There were also traditional Jewish delicacies like latkes and sufganiyot. The important part of the event is to teach people about other religions.

"Most of the community is aware that Chanukah is right during this time period, but we want to make an extra effort to have children exposed to all holidays, and for us, Chanukah is one of our important holidays and using music and art is a way of teaching about a certain religion and holiday," Jewish Community

Sunday's event also collected gifts for the Austin State Hospital.

The eight-day holiday commemorates the miracle of rekindling the menorah in the Temple in Jerusalem at the time of the Maccabee rebellion.