Born in 1918 in Grodno, Bielorussia, he was from his youth, and up to the beginning of WW2, a member of “Ha-Shomer Ha-Tzair” in his town. He was a leader in Zionist activity and engaged in anti-Soviet propaganda, listening to broadcasts of “Kol Israel” and disseminating their contents. He also tried to leave the Soviet Union but was arrested in 1950 in Grodno and sentenced in Minsk, by the Supreme Court, to 25 years imprisonment. He served his sentence in Omsk and in other camps. He was released in 1956 and after several months managed to get to Israel.