What scroll about Hanukkah is read in some synagogues?

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The Hanukkah scroll read in some synagogues is Megillat Antiochus.

Also called Megillat HaHashmonaim or the Scroll of the Hasmoneans, it retells the victory of the Maccabees over the Seleucid Empire and the restoration of Jewish worship. It is distinct from the Books of the Maccabees, although it describes many of the same events.

The work survives in Aramaic and Hebrew forms. Its exact date and authorship are uncertain, but scholars generally place its composition centuries after the historical revolt. Medieval Jewish communities in places including Italy, Yemen, Spain, and parts of the Middle East used it in Hanukkah observance.

Its ritual status has never been universal. Some communities read it during Hanukkah, while others do not treat it as part of the standard synagogue service. It is therefore not interchangeable with Megillat Esther, the scroll associated with Purim, or with the better-known festival scrolls Ruth and Kohelet.

Source: Wikipedia · fact-checked Sept. 2026

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