Z. was born on 15 December 1891 in Amdur, Grodno Gubernia, Polish Lithuania. His father was a teacher.

Until age fifteen he learned in a cheder, in a yeshiva and Bet HaMedrash. Then he became involved in the Worker's Movement. He received a general education and became an actor.

In 1908 he debuted with a song. In 1909 he settled in Warsaw, where he became literarily active. During the World War he wandered off to the Front. In 1916 he stopped in Grodno, and during the German Occupation he developed a wide cultural activity with his friend Leib Naidus. In 1919 he settled in Warsaw and became an editorial member of "Moment".

Z. wrote reviews and theatre notices in the Grodno "Unzer morgn" and "Unzer vinkl", in Vilna's "Letste nays", and in Warsaw's "Di yudishe tribune" and translated Strindberg's "Der foter (The Father)" (publishing house "Di tsayt", Warsaw, 1922), performed through L. Sokolov in Gordin's "Dos rekht oyf libe (publishing house "Unzer bukh", Warsaw, 1922), staged by a Grodno troupe; Gogol's "Khasonim" (publishing house "Di tsayt", Warsaw), and he wrote "Unter heymishe himlen, a play in three acts (publishing house Kh. Bzhoza, Warsaw, 1926, p. 104, 16°), which on 3 December 1927 was staged by the union "Horevanye" in Suwalki's state theatre.