Mila Kunis reveals she was 'told never to talk about' her Jewish faith growing up

UKRAINE, EUROPE: Mila Kunis is sharing her journey with Judaism, revealing how her upbringing in Ukraine shaped her religious experience.

In a video released on December 26, Kunis sat down with Israeli activist and actress Noa Tishby to light a candle for the second night of Hanukkah, discussing her complex relationship with her Jewish identity growing up, People reported.

Mila Kunis opens up about her Jewish faith and cultural traditions

"I grew up doing nothing," Kunis explained, recalling her early years in Ukraine before her family moved to the United States when she was eight.

"I always knew I was Jewish, but I was told never to talk about it."

The actress further explained that in the Soviet Union, religion was not encouraged, and she was raised in a country where faith was restricted.

Now, as an adult and a mother, Kunis has found new ways to connect with her Jewish roots. She and her husband, Ashton Kutcher, have embraced more religious practices in their home, and their children, Wyatt, 10, and Dimitri, 8, are involved in those traditions as well.

Kunis reflected on how her perception of Judaism shifted over time.

"I was raised culturally Jewish, so for me, it's a culture," she said. "And as I had kids, and my kids very much identify with the religion aspect of it, I was like, okay, I guess we'll do (Shabbat) and we'll do the candles." She expressed her admiration for the beautiful traditions of Judaism and the importance of passing them down.

Kunis added, "Guilt. Guilt. I was raised with a lot of guilt, all the time," noting how guilt and superstition were ingrained in her family. She also joked about her fear of food shortages, explaining that it’s something she carries into her parenting style, with food seen as the solution to most problems.

The 'Family Guy' voice actress shared, "I think I have a fear of not having enough food. My biggest fear is someone going hungry."

She added, "The worst thing my kids can say to me is 'I'm hungry.' Food fixes everything. You're tired? Eat some food. You're cranky? Eat some food."

Kunis acknowledged, "A health person's gonna say this is unhealthy and we're doing something wrong, and I understand; I'm working on it. But is it just something that's embedded in me."

Mila Kunis reveals childhood experiences in Ukraine, sparking mixed reactions online

Mila Kunis recently shared personal insights into her childhood experiences as a Jewish girl growing up in Ukraine, and her comments have generated a range of responses on social media.

While some users expressed empathy for Kunis' experience, others delved into broader discussions about the Jewish faith and global conflicts.

One user noted, "Not unusual. Many Jews I know hide it... Even in NY," while another wrote, "I don't think people really understand the whole middle east situation. It's very complicated and who knows if it will ever be resolved. I hate this whole war that's going on and even though I'm Jewish, I don't understand the history of it all either. War sucks and while this is a generalization, it's testosterone that mainly drives war. IMO."

Other commenters were less receptive. "Playing victim," one wrote, while another chimed in with skepticism, saying, "Alls I can say is yeah right LOL."

"That’s unfortunately going to start happening in the US if we don’t course correct," another commented.

One user commented, "Love her in Bad Moms... watched it this morning on Netflix, even though I already have it on DVD, lol."

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