He was born in Constantinople, now Istanbul, the capital of Turkey, on 15 April 1889. Jewish by birth, he spent his childhood in Algeria, North Africa. As a teenager, he moved to France, where he worked as a travelling salesman, travelling throughout the country, from Brittany to the Midi and from the Atlantic to Lorraine, earning a living through hard work. Still as a travelling salesman, he travelled to several countries in Europe and the Middle East, mainly Greece and Egypt. He later travelled to South America, visiting several countries.

He finally settled permanently in Brazil, which, with his nomadic spirit, he travelled throughout, repeating his experience in France, in a constant struggle for survival. With his trunk of small items, he went from door to door. On these trips, he discovered the excellence of the Spiritist Doctrine in Recife, Pernambuco. At the invitation of some friends, he visited the ‘House of Spiritists of Pernambuco,’ his first contact with the Doctrine, becoming a sincere and fervent follower. Despite being Jewish, he accepted Jesus Christ with all his heart, recognising in Him the Great Prophet, the highest expression of all Humanity. After moving to Rio de Janeiro, RJ, he frequented Spiritist Centres, spreading his word and his unshakeable faith in the promises of Jesus, whom he loved with all his soul. A few years later, he founded the André Luiz Spiritist Group.

He soon began to be sought after as a speaker at Spiritist Weeks, social gatherings and other events. He travelled through several states of Brazil spreading his evangelical message. Wherever a Spiritist Week was organised, Jacques was there, like a songbird, with his tenderness, his love and his sincere desire to evangelise the masses. As a Spiritist, he left behind an enormous record of service. He founded several institutions, worked and cooperated efficiently, with absolute certainty of the immortality of the soul, giving his all. He stood out greatly in his work as a preacher, due to his gentle and interpretive manner of presenting the texts and parables of the Gospel, living them with unparalleled feeling and capturing the attention of the audience that flocked to hear him. The medium Peixotinho worked alongside him for several years in the André Luiz Spiritist Group, using his physical mediumship to produce materialisations and healings. He was director of the Casa da Mãe Pobre Maternity Hospital, a respectable institution that deserved all his work and dedication.

A liberal spirit and pioneer from the outset, he lived fully convinced that only love builds for life. Everyone was moved by the gentleness and serenity of his words, framed in healthy expressions. Gifted with leadership, his actions were in line with the teachings he preached. Many called him Papa Jacques, such was the respect and admiration that his figure instilled in the souls of his fellow believers, especially among the youth, by whom he was much loved and esteemed. He died in Rio de Janeiro on 5 February 1969.