Actor and Soldier Din Miroshnikov Opens Up About His Jewish Identity and Military Service

Din Miroshnikov, an actor and former Israeli commando, shared an emotional interview on Channel 14's program "Conversation" with Oded Harush, detailing his journey from a Christian childhood in Ukraine to embracing his Jewish heritage. Born Dima to a Christian father and Jewish mother, Miroshnikov was unaware of his Jewish roots until after immigrating to Israel, when his mother revealed she had hidden their heritage due to fear of antisemitism. His early years in Israel were marked by poverty and integration challenges, but he was raised with pride by his Holocaust survivor grandparents.

At 17, seeking to assimilate, he changed his surname to Martin and enlisted in the elite Shayetet 13 naval commando unit. During a fierce battle to seize the Mavi Marmara ship, he sustained severe injuries amid violent resistance from armed activists. The trauma led to years of post-traumatic stress and anxiety. Later, feeling remorse for distancing himself from his origins, he restored his original surname, Miroshnikov, as an apology to his mother.

His injury also sparked a profound spiritual awakening, beginning with receiving tefillin from a rabbi in the hospital and culminating in his Torah reading at the Western Wall at age 30. Despite his injury and exemption from reserve duty, Miroshnikov volunteered for a special reserve battalion of elite fighters following the October 7 massacre. Alongside his acting career ambitions, he emphasizes that his most important role is being a father to his daughter, Or Hazohar.