He was born on December 25, 1890, in Derazhnia, Russian Empire, the youngest of eight children of a lawyer who died a year after Charles's birth.

In November 1917, he was elected to the New York State Assembly (Bronx Co., 5th D.), defeating the incumbent Democrat William S. Evans.

[2] The Citizens Union said that Garfinkel was "very attentive and made an excellent record of votes on city bills".

In December 1935, after the expulsion of the Old Guard faction, Garfinkel was elected by the New York City Central Committee of the Socialist Party as Temporary Chairman.

[4] In November 1936, he ran for the New York State Senate (23rd D.)[5] but was defeated by the incumbent Democrat John J. Dunnigan.