A large menorah has been lit at Reddacliff Place in Brisbane's CBD to mark Hanukkah and to celebrate 150 years of the Jewish community in Brisbane.

Office workers, busy shoppers and commuters have been passing the six-metre-tall sculpture which will burn bright every night during the Festival of Lights.

Hanukkah is the Jewish holiday that celebrates the miracle of oil; the ancient story goes that an oil lamp burned for eight days when there was only enough oil to last one.

The president of the Queensland Jewish Board of Deputies, Jason Steinberg, said the large menorah allowed the people of Brisbane to experience the Jewish holiday tradition.

"Our community was officially formed 150 years ago so it's really important for our community to publicly celebrate Hanukkah in the CBD," he said.

"Even though we're a small community, we've been part of every part of normal society — as doctors, lawyers, sports people and teachers ... we've been very active throughout the community.

"Hanukkah is about the Festival of Lights and it runs for eight nights and symbolises the triumph over light and darkness and the resilience of the Jewish people."

Fried food and candle light

Mr Steinberg said there were between 3,000 and 4,000 people in the local Brisbane Jewish community.

The menorah will stand in the Brisbane CBD until December 14. ( 612 ABC Brisbane: Jessica Hinchliffe )

"In Cairns and on the Gold Coast and other parts of Queensland there will be other celebrations too," he told 612 ABC Brisbane's Emma Griffiths.

"[In] most Jewish homes around the world and in some public places the candles are being lit each night for the next eight nights at sundown.

"My family, for example, will light candles each night until the end of Hanukkah."

The menorah has nine holders for candles — eight for each night of the festival and one in the middle which is used to light the other candles.

Mr Steinberg said as well as light, food was a big part of the Jewish tradition.

"Fried food is an important way of marking this celebration so we eat a potato pancake called latkes and donuts and things like that that cumulate with oil," he said.

"There's also Hanukkah gelt which we give which is chocolate money.

"There's also a game with a spinning top called a dreidel which children play with to win little prizes, usually around chocolate and treats."

Happy holidays or Happy Hanukkah?

Mr Steinberg said Hanukkah played a bigger role in American culture than it did in Australia.

"Anyone that goes to America this time of year and walks into a supermarket, they will see Happy holidays, Merry Christmas and Happy Hanukkah; it's very much part of the culture in America," he said.

"Traditionally gifts are not part of the celebration but it has come into play in some families so that Jewish kids don't get as jealous during Christmas time.

"It's really about being part of the whole community."

However Mr Steinberg said Hanukkah was not the biggest Jewish festival.

"It's the best known due to its timing around Christmas, [but] certainly it's not the most important as that is usually the Day of Atonement or Yom Kippur," he said.

The menorah will remain in Reddacliff Place until December 14.