From Bullied Child to Mossad Chief: 5 Facts About Roman Gofman

Gofman’s Story

Hero of Israel: Roman Gofman is set to become Israel’s 14th Mossad chief, after a life story that reflects the strength, sacrifice, and resilience of the Jewish state.

From a child immigrant who arrived in Israel without Hebrew to one of the country’s top security leaders, Gofman’s path is not only a personal success story. It is an Israeli story.

Here are five facts about incoming Mossad chief Roman Gofman.

Born in Belarus, Built in Israel

Gofman was born in Belarus and made aliyah with his family at age 14.

When he arrived in Israel, he did not know Hebrew. As a new immigrant, he nearly could not enter high school. But after learning the language and integrating into Israeli society, he rose through the IDF and became one of the country’s most senior security figures.

That journey says something important about Israel.

A teenager who arrived without Hebrew could become a major general, a battlefield commander, Netanyahu’s military secretary, and now the incoming head of the Mossad.

A Family That Started Over

Gofman’s father, Dr. Vladislav Gofman, had been a senior doctor in Belarus.

After making aliyah, the family had to start over. Like many immigrants to Israel, they faced the challenge of rebuilding professional lives, language, identity, and status in a new country.

Today, Dr. Vladislav Gofman heads a department at Assaf HaRofeh Medical Center.

The story of the Gofman family reflects a core part of the Israeli experience: Jews come from exile, rebuild, serve, contribute, and rise.

October 7 Battlefield Hero

On the morning of October 7, Gofman did not wait for orders from a distance.

He drove to Sderot in his private car and faced dozens of armed Hamas terrorists during the massacre. He was severely wounded in battle, but later returned to service in IDF uniform.

That moment became one of the defining parts of his public story.

Gofman was not only a senior officer. He was a commander who ran toward the battlefield while terrorists were attacking Israeli civilians.

From Wounded Commander to National Leadership

After October 7, Gofman returned to senior military service and continued to serve the State of Israel.

He later became military secretary to Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu, placing him at the center of Israel’s wartime decision-making and national security leadership.

His appointment as Mossad chief now moves him from the IDF and the Prime Minister’s Office to one of the most sensitive roles in Israel’s security establishment.

Israel’s 14th Mossad Chief

Gofman lives in Ashdod, is married, and has three daughters.

As incoming Mossad chief, he will lead Israel’s foreign intelligence agency at a time of major regional threats, including Iran, Hezbollah, Hamas, and wider efforts against the Jewish state.

His story carries a clear message.

In Israel, a bullied immigrant child who arrived without Hebrew can become one of the country’s most important defenders.

That is the strength of the Jewish state: it takes Jews from exile, gives them a home, and turns survival into service.