Beautifully illustrated with color photography, Amulets, Talismans & Magical Jewelry: A Way To The Unseen, Ever- Present, Almighty God by clinical psychologist and Jungian analyst Barbara Black Koltuv focuses upon the creation, use, and meaning of objects invested with magical or spiritual powers as reflected in the Hebrew scriptures, rituals and beliefs. These items range from glass beads for protection against the evil eye, to the mezuzah found on door frames, to the hamsa (five fingered hand), engraved pendants, tiny boxes containing special prayers, Aaron's breastplate, the knots on the prayer shawl, the teffilin, henna hand and foot painting, amulets from the Sefer Raziel that protect newborn infants from evil forces, and so much more. Amulets, Talismans & Magical Jewelry is a welcome and informative contribution to personal and academic library New Age, Metaphysical, and Judaic Studies reference collections.

Whether you wear a charm, own a rabbits foot or a mystical scholar you will find much in Barbara Koltuv's book on Amulets Talismans and Magical Jewelry that you never did before as I did.

At six when I was left in school I ran home first chance I got. My father took me for a blessing to a Hasidic Rabbi in Brighten Beach in Brooklyn, N.Y. in the 1930's. Besides the blessing Rabbi Yechiel Ashkanazi gave me a kamaiah: It was a Heh, fifth letter of the Hebrew alphabet representing God's name. My mother sewed it into a little cloth pouch and hung it around my neck with a string.

Reading this book brought me to new level of relationship with that Heh seeing how many people in so many lands who were soothed, protected,and made tranquil by amulets.

I will use the book mostly as an encyclopedia yet it is seldom that I open the book anywhere and not get captured by the contents of the page.

Charles Roth, Leader of Hasidic Workshops