The Khamsa in Contemporary Israeli Culture
Types of Israeli Khamsas
Israeli khamsas come in a variety of shapes,
are made of different materials, and can be
found on their own or in combination with other
symbols. The khamsa is by now so commonplace as
to be something of a cliche, appearing on kitchen
utensils, clothes, household objects and such
everyday items as clocks, trays, sheets and wrapping paper.
The prevalence suggest how thoroughly the khamsa
has been transformed from a magical object into
an aesthetic one, and from an artifact of folk
art into a mass-produced commodity. Traditional
khamsas were discreet personal items, inscribed
with the name of their owner or of a tzadik and
concealed on the body. Today's khamsas, by contrast
are prominent, public icons, overt and exposed.
Common Israeli khamsas can be divided into four groups:
a. The largest group includes all objects made of
metal or modern materials. These khamsas come
in different sizes and usually have a ring or
hook attached to them, so that they can worn on a
necklace, hung on the wall, or linked to a key-chain.
Khamsas of this group can be purchased in stores that
sell souvenirs, Jewish ritual articles, gifts and jewelry.
Sometimes they are even available alongside office supplies,
sewing materials, clothes, flowers and so on. Occasionally,
khamsas are incorporated into store windows as and ornamental
addition to the goods on display.
b. The second largest group comprises khamsas specially
commissioned as the logo of a company or organization.
The khamsa form is chosen for its usefulness and appeal
as an advertising tool. These organizations include
no-profit societies lobbying for social issues
(e.g., the prevention of domestic violence or traffic accidents)
and commercial companies seeking to market their products -
be they health services or medicine, insurance policies or
burglar alarms, music CDs or contraceptive devices.
c. The third group includes artistic khamsas, mostly of
traditional shape and usually autographed by the artist.
These are made using a wide range of techniques and material:
silver, gold, copper, glazed ceramic, colored or stained
glass, enameled metal, wall tapestry, weaving, embroidery,
quilting, and so on.
d. The smallest and least-known group includes pseudo-
traditional khamsas made as a form of folk art. These
are produced by anonymous craftsmen and artists, who usually
work in peripheral areas and whose creations never make it
into large chain stores. The artists perceive themselves
as the continuers of a tradition, at times enhancing their
works with new explanations and interpretations.
The wide and diverse use of the khamsa form indeed
shows how an ancient symbol, once limited to a particular
context, can be borrowed and adapted to other areas of
life. Moreover, modern culture stresses the dual
symbolism of the hand shape, which denotes interdiction
and exclusion as well as permission and inclusion.
The khamsa's popularity has by now exceeded that of any
other Israeli icon. If once the Star of David was prominently
displayed as the logo of health, sports and road safety
organizations, many examples now suggest that it has
been replaced by the khamsa.
In contemporary Israeli society, the khamsa is a distinctly
secular icon. The adaptation of the original form, with its
nuances and essential properties, into all parts of modern
life shows that the shapes, substance and content of the
traditional khamsa have not truly been altered, but rather
elaborated and expanded.
Hagit Matras
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