Dov Ber Borochov was born in the town of Zolotonosha, Russian Empire (now in Ukraine), and grew up in nearby Poltava. His mother and father were both teachers. As an adult he joined the Russian Social Democratic Labor Party but was expelled when he formed a Zionist Socialist Workers Union in Yekaterinoslav. After being arrested by the Russian authorities he left for the United States. Subsequently, he helped form the Poale Zion party and devoted his life to promoting the party in Russia, Europe, and America. When the Russian social democrats came to power, Borochov returned to Russia in March 1917 to lead the Poale Zion. He became ill and died in Kiev of pneumonia in December 1917.