JULY/AUGUST 2019 | TAMPA BAY MAGAZINE 139
Imagine a land that is not
decades, but centuries old, a
land of history and traditions
that are even older than the
structures you see, a land that was
considered the center of the earth
for many centuries, a land that three
major religions celebrate as sacred.
More than likely you have imagined
Israel.
My wife Penny and I were in Israel
for ten days and are now submersed
in photos and memories of our visit.
We had thought about this trip for years, so
when the opportunity presented itself, we
were winging our way across the Atlantic.
We anticipated what might await us once
we landed, but had no real understanding
of what we would experience. The books
we read and the YouTube videos we
watched only gave us a hint of what we
would see. After landing in Tel Aviv, we
were surprised to encounter a major city
with luxury hotels, a beautiful beach on
the Mediterranean Sea and big city traffic.
Perhaps the most unique element of
Israel is that it serves as the sacred land
for Christian, Jewish and Muslim followers
who share the same country and in some
cases, the same holy sites. Because of that,
a traveler has to consider how to respect
both the sites and the faiths. Christian,
Jewish, Muslim and Armenian people live
together in Jerusalem, but they live apart. A
National Geographic video has three young
girls describing their Jerusalem. One of the
young ladies sums it up by saying, “I hope
we have the courage to meet the people
who live next to us.”
Our travels included the West
Bank, a landlocked territory near the
Mediterranean coast of Western Asia,
bordered by Jordan to the east and by the
Green Line separating it and Israel on the
south, west and north. Going through
checkpoints patrolled by armed guards
made us aware of the conflict within the
country. However, we felt that the United
States was seen favorably by both the
Palestinians and the Israelis. One friendly
young man waved to us and then started
sending kisses as we traveled through the
West Bank in a bus.
The structures that remain as ruins
were amazing. Under the famed Western
Wall, also known as the Wailing
Wall, there is a tunnel. If you go
into the tunnel, you will see one
block of stone that is 5 feet across,
45 feet long and 12 feet high. It has
been in place since King Solomon’s
time, and all you can do is stare and
wonder how in the world they got
the stone in place at that location.
Even the animated film we saw
before the tunnel visit left us in awe
of the construction practices from
so many centuries ago. Whether
you are a student of faith or just someone
interested in history, Israel provides a
look back at ancient times from before
the existence of the Roman Empire.
We had been told by many of our friends
that this would be the trip we would never
forget. I have to admit, I now understand
what they meant. Visiting Israel gave us
a deeper understanding of our world
through the country’s history and the
traditions of the faiths that have made it
a multicultural land. 9
EDITOR’S NOTE: Dick Crippen, a staple
in Tampa Bay broadcasting for more than 40
years, is a senior adviser for the Tampa Bay
Rays, and works extensively with the military.
He is active in the world of charity fundraising
and sits on numerous boards for nonprofit
organizations.
COMMAERNTTARY
HISTORY, FAITHS
AND BEAUTY
By Dick Crippen
Dick Crippen