Israeli Evil Eye/House Charm: "Hamesh"

"Hamesh," the Hebrew word for hand, refers to the five digits of the hand. It is an old and still popular amulet for magical protection from the envious or evil eye. An alternative Jewish name for it is the Hand of Miriam, in reference to the sister of Moses and Aaron.

Hameshes are popular as charms and decorations in Israel. Among Jews, fish are considered to be a symbol of good luck, so many are also decorated with fish images. Archaeological evidence suggests that the downward-pointing protective hamesh refers to an ancient Middle Eastern goddess whose hand wards off the evil eye.

Modern Israeli hamesh hands are sometimes made in the form of ceramic wall plaques in which a hand-lettered Hebrew prayer occupies the center of the palm. These include variants that seek to prevent earthquakes as well as forestall overlooking by the evil eye.
Source:
www.luckymojo.com/hamsahand.html