L. was born in September 1889 in Minsk, White Russia, into a well-to-do family. She is the sister of Esther (Frumkina). Her father is a melamed (religious teacher), who used to put together his own melodies and attempted to compose a Yiddish opera.

L. had from childhood participated in [living images=lebedike bilder] and children's productions. In 1904 she participated under the pseudonym of Lyadova in the gymnasium productions and later she joined a Russian "amateur" circle, where she received special attention for her role as "Hindl" in Asch's "Gott fun nekomah (God of Vengeance)".

In 1907-08 she participated in the main role of a Yiddish literary dramatic circle, in which she traveled across the province. For three months she learned in a Russian dramatic school in Peterburg and then from there she was sent out. In 1910 she finished as a midwife in Minsk and on that basis thereby came the opportunity to continue her theatre studies in Peterburg, where she also performed in a Yiddish amateur circle as "Mirele Efros" and in other plays of Gordin and M. Rivesman; later she participated in a tour with the "Hirshbein troupe".

In 1911 she acted with an amateur circle in Vilna (Director--Ben Ami). In 1912 she completed a Russian dramatic school in Peterburg and became engaged in Feinman's Theatre in London. She returned to Russia, and L. went on a tour with Libert, then