Kh. was born in 1900 in Odessa, Ukraine, to well-to-do parents.

Until age eight he learned in a cheder, afterwards for four years in the "first government school". He often attended the Russian theatre and then became familiar with an "amateur" circle, joining as a "brunim" in Rakovf's "Der talmud khokhem", later becoming the director of this circle, performing in the chief roles of the "Talmud khokhem", "Yeshive bukher", "Hertsele myukhs" [a.d.g.]

In 1917 he performed as an actor as "farmer" in Schorr's "Di amerikanerin" by Rappel in [his] troupe and remained there as a professional actor. In 1918-19 he acted in a miniature theatre under the direction of Keyzerovitsh and Sadigurski, and in the summer of 1919 with this troupe across the province, afterwards entering into the Odessa Yiddish State Theatre under the direction of Bertanov, acting there until the beginning of 1921 and then went on tour with a part of the troupe across the province. For a certain time Kh. performed for the professional theatre, was the director of a drama a club of [gev]. "Poaeli Zion", traveling to Novorossiysk and working there as an employee in a store and at the same time directing a Yiddish drama.

In 1923 he acted in the Yiddish troupe of Chetshelnitsky and afterwards participated in a tour with the troupe. In 1924 he acted in the "Kunst-vinkl", in 1925-26 he toured with a collective, in 1926-27 he was with Clara Young, and in 1927-28 with the Odessa