Born near Minsk into a deeply religious family, Bakst studied life sciences in St Petersburg and Heidelberg, before teaching physiology at St Petersburg University and the Medical School for Women.

A renowned researcher and writer, he was one of very few Jews to be made professor in Russia. He believed that education and productive labour would ensure the survival of his fellow Jews, but that specific training was necessary.

Professor N. Bakst not only thought over the plan of creating the organization, which would be dedicated to this most important deed, but also persuaded the railroad baron Samuel Polyakov in the importance of his idea.