Born on 21 November 1904 in Zhmerinka, Ukraine. His father was a craftsman, a [yde-ngn]. He learned in a cheder and at age twelve completed a modern Talmud Torah.

In 1917 S. entered into a Jewish gymnasium and here during a student evening performed with imitations. Later he learned social economy in a professional technical school.

In 1920 S. was a co-founder of a literary dramatic studio. In 1924 he was taken into a Yiddish theatre studio "Kultur-lige (Culture League)" in Moscow, and at the end of 1925 -- was taken into the Yiddish State Theatre in the Ukraine, where he acted until May 1927, and at the end of 1927 entered into "Vim't".

Sh. E.