hiː lˈeɪɾɚ dʒˈɔɪnd ðə dɹəmˈæɾɪk sˈɜːkəlz ʌvðə dʒˈuːɪʃ lˈeɪbɚ bˈʌnd, mˌeɪkɪŋ hɪz fˈɜːst pˈʌblɪk ɐpˈɪɹəns æt ðɪ ˈeɪdʒ ʌv θˈɜːtiːn, ɪnðə ɹˈoʊl ʌv jɛhjˈuːdə ɪnðə bˈɪblɪkəl plˈeɪ mˈɛkaɪɹˌæt jˈoʊsəf ðə sˈeɪl ʌv dʒˈoʊsəf, ɪn ɐ pɹədˈʌkʃən baɪ ˈoʊldɚ tɹˈeɪdzmɛn.
He later joined the dramatic circles of the Jewish Labor Bund, making his first public appearance at the age of 13, in the role of Yehuda in the Biblical play Mechirat Yosef (The Sale of Joseph), in a production by older tradesmen.