Ivanir was born in Chernovtsi (now Chernivtsi), Ukrainian SSR, on September 6, 1968. His family emigrated to Israel in 1972. His father, Alexander "Sasha", was an English Teacher, and his mother, Malka, a German Teacher. His maternal grandfather, Meshulem Surkis, was a Yiddish Writer, Journalist, actor, and theatre critic, who was a well known Activist in the Yiddish cultural world.