Harry Potter may have an invisibility cloak, but check out a shirt discovered in the Cave of Letters in the Judean Desert by Yigal Yadin's crew in the 1960s, with a pocket sewn on it stuffed with salt. These customary pockets, filled with grain, salt, or even rat feces, traditionally ward off the Evil Eye or demons. Similarly, whoever wore a Persian garment inscribed with the names of Haman's 10 sons believed all kinds of evil spells would be deflected onto those shady figures.

Incantation bowls from 4th to 7th Century Mesopotamia (Iraq), placed under the floor at the home's threshold to "trap" demons, are here too. Magic's appeal to sailors is evidenced by a discus formed like an iris, attached to the ship to protect against the Evil Eye and storms. Only one of four found in the world, it parallels Jews saying the Traveler's Prayer today, Vukosavović says.

Never-before-seen magic book manuscripts, and a 1701 version of Sefer Raziel Hamalach - believed given by the angel Raziel to Adam and full of recipes, charts and drawings to be worn or glanced at but not deciphered, according to tradition - along with Hellenistic period voodoo dolls, designed to win someone's love, are all displayed. There's even a study of the magical formula "Abracadabra," with roots in the 3rd Century CE.

The amulets, pendants - to allay fears about childbirth and child-rearing - and other charms offer a timeless overview of Jews' connection to enchantment and superstition. "I wanted to show that pendants were worn 3,000 years ago to ward off the Evil Eye, just as they are today," Vukosavović says. "Our use of magic hasn't changed, and it will never will.... By mounting this exhibit, we want to open this world and show that magic is not evil - on the contrary, it's very positive. People need protection, so they turn to magic. Thank God for Harry Potter, who helped improve magic's image, and we hope the exhibit will improve it even more, especially as it relates to Judaism."

Among the items on display are pendants for protection of a newborn baby, showing demoness Lilith bound; amulets against the Evil Eye, depicting menorah hamsas and hands in gesture of Priestly Blessing; an incantation bowl in Judeo-Aramaic with the angel Sarfiel in order for two demons to be exorcised; and various bejeweled amulets. Photos courtesy of Avraham Chai for the Bible Lands Museum.