Born on 28 September 1891 in Vilna, Polish Lithuania. Father -- a pharmacist. Initially she received her education from a French governess, then attended Mrs. Prozerova's gymnasium, and at the same time Treskin's music school.

Even in school she displayed abilities for the stage, especially in musical numbers, and she performed in the main roles in the school productions. At the age of twelve Z. also participated in the former children's productions in Russian, under the direction of actor L. Shriftzetser.

After completing in 1908 the gymnasium, Z. took an active part in the local Yiddish drama circle and acted in responsible roles.

Z. traveled to Peterburg, where she attended Rayev's Jewish courses and the conservatory and acted at the same time in a Russian dramatic circle under the leadership of Divesman. 1911 -- arrived as a music teacher for the family of theatre director Zandberg in Lodz, and there became known to actor Rudolf Zaslavski, and after her marriage to him, she performed in Vilna in 1913 as "Irena" in Arnstein's "Dos vilner bel-bisl". Later Z. had the ekr zikh given with accompanying the musical numbers for the presented plays, performing only rarely on the stage.

At first in 1916 Z. began to act systematically, due to the former ban on Yiddish, and Z. translated (together with her brother, the