Israel was born on 17 December 1911 in Bethnal Green, London to Latvia born parents David and Annie nee Slabotsky. The family surname was originally Lefcovitch.

Israel married Celia Naseloff in 1933 in Stepney, London and they had two daughters. Roma born in 1934 and Josephine born in 1938.

In 1939, the family lived at 43 Ambleside Avenue, Hornchurch and Israel worked as a taxi driver and was also a volunteer ambulance driver. He was killed during the Blitz.