Serge Liberman was born at Fergana, Uzbekistan in the former Union of Soviet Socialist Republics (USSR). He became a displaced person in Germany in 1946-1947 before spending several years in Paris. Liberman attended primary and secondary schools in Melbourne, then Melbourne University from 1962-1967, graduating from medical school. He served as a medical resident in Prince Henry's Hospital in 1968 and from 1971-1973, and in Tel Hashomer Hospital, Israel from 1969-1970. He subsequently established a general practice in Melbourne.
Author of a number of works on the Jewish diaspora and Jewish writing in Australia, in 1964 Liberman became editor of Situations, the bi-monthly journal of the Melbourne University Jewish Students Society and in 1965 he served as editor of Venture, the annual journal of the National Union of Australian Jewish Students. From 1997-1984 and from 1991-1996 he was editor of the English section of a bi-lingual literary journal, Melbourne Chronicle. In 1984-1985 he was associate editor of Outrider: Journal of Australian Multicultural Literature and in 1988 he served on the editorial board. He was literary editor of the Australian Jewish News 1987-1998. In 1987 Liberman became literary editor of Menorah : Journal of the Australian Association of Jewish Studies and he has also been a a member of the editorial committee of the Victorian Branch of the Australian Jewish Historical Society Journal (1987-2000) and Gesher: The Official Journal of the Council of Christians and Jews (to 2000).
From 1983-1985 Liberman was an Executive Member - serving in 1987-1987 as Vice-President - of PEN International, Melbourne Centre. In 1987 he was PEN Melbourne delegate to the International PEN conference in Lugano, Switzerland, and officially opened the Australian Book Exhibition in Berne, Switzerland in the presence of the Australian ambassador. His work has been read several times at the Melbourne International Writers' Festival and also at Readings Bookshop, The National Gallery and at other venues.
Liberman has participated frequently as a judge of short story, manuscript and essay competitions for the Fellowship of Australian Writers and the Australia Council Literature Board writers' grants. He has translated a number of literary works from Yiddish for publication in English. He is a reference source for investigators of many aspects of Australian Judaica. His writing has appeared in the following periodicals: Access, Australian Jewish Historical Society Journal, Australian Jewish News, Biala, Chung Wai Literary Monthly, Generation Gesher, The Jewish Quarterly (London), Kivun, Meanjin, Melbourne Chronicle, Menorah, Nepean Review, Outrider, Overland, Southerly, Westerly, Yiddishe Naies.
