Rosine Boumendil was born on 12 December 1876 in Blida to a Jewish family of modest means.[1] Her father, Jacob, was a baker and her mother, Mazaltov (née Seror) was a housewife.[1] She went to the local school until the age of twelve, when is placed into domestic service with a Jewish family.[1] She later claimed to have attended the École des Religieuses de la Doctrine Chrétienne, although it did not open until she was in her 20s.[2] She married Moïse Amar, a Rabbi, when she was aged 18.