(JTA) — Jake Tapper thinks this year might have been the first time he celebrated Passover without friends and family.
The Jewish CNN anchor had his reasons: he was reporting on the ground in war-torn Ukraine.
Tapper opened up about the experience on “The Late Show with Stephen Colbert” on Tuesday night.
During his two-week trip this April, Tapper said he was forced to celebrate the holiday alone, but a local Orthodox rabbi gave him matzah and other seder supplies.
“Believe it or not, there is a local Orthodox rabbi,” he told Colbert. “There is one everywhere. When they land on Mars, there’s going to be a [Chabad] Lubavitcher rabbi.”
Tapper was joking about the Hasidic Chabad-Lubavitch movement, which places emissaries in far-flung countries around the world.
Tapper then described offering President Volodymyr Zelensky — whom Tapper interviewed, and who is Jewish — a box of matzah. The unleavened bread was apparently met with a lukewarm reception by the Ukrainian leader, who likely had other concerns on his mind.
In addition to his lighthearted jokes, Tapper commented more seriously on the upcoming Jan. 6 insurrection hearings that will begin Thursday.
“This was not just a group of people who got a bit rowdy did some stupid things,” he said. “This is about a strategy and a conspiracy.”
Help ensure Jewish news remains accessible to all. Your donation to the Jewish Telegraphic Agency powers the trusted journalism that has connected Jewish communities worldwide for more than 100 years. With your help, JTA can continue to deliver vital news and insights. Donate today.