hamsa

Definitions

• n. A hand-shaped amulet (often a wall-hanging or jewelry) conferring good luck or protection, popular in Israel and originally from the Middle East / North Africa.
  

Example Sentences

• " In Jewish culture, the hamsa is called the Hand of Miriam; in Muslim culture, the Hand of Fatima." (source)
  

Languages of Origin

• Arabic

Etymology

• Arabic خمسة 'five', Heb חמסה
  

Who Uses This

• Religious: Jews who are engaged in religious observance and have some Jewish education
• Jews: Jews of diverse religious backgrounds and organizational involvements
• Israel: Diaspora Jews who feel connected to Israel and have spent time there
• Non-Jews: (words that have spread outside of Jewish networks)
• Sephardim: Jews with Sephardi or Mizrahi heritage
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Regions

• North America

Dictionaries

• The JPS Dictionary of Jewish Words, by Joyce Eisenberg and Ellen Scolnic, (Philadelphia, 2001).
• Dictionary of Jewish Usage: A Popular Guide to the Use of Jewish Terms, by Sol Steinmetz (Lanham, MD, 2005).

Alternative Spellings

chamsa