Born on 9 February 1924 in East London, South Africa, Israel was the son of Maxwell Angorn, a master dry cleaner and actor, and his wife, Helen (née Goldberg). He attended Selborne College in East London and then studied medicine at Witwatersrand University where he graduated MB ChB in 1951. He underwent further training in the UK obtaining his FRCS in 1964 and then, after a period in Zambia, he joined the University of Natal in 1972 as a senior lecturer in surgery. He was appointed full Professor of Surgery in 1985, from 1984 to 1986 he was President of the South African Surgical Research Society and between 1980 and 1986 he was an editorial board member for the South African journal of surgery. He was responsible for forstering much research in the department of surgery. Among his interests were the nutritional and immunological aspects of oesophageal carcinoma, the epidemiology of peptic ulcer, and surgical techniques for oesophageal carcinoma, penetrating renal injury, parathyroidectomy, and typhoid perforation. His contributions were recognised internationally and he was invited overseas to congresses and medical schools. An outstanding teacher with a tremendous command of the English language he spoke out against the discriminatory practices which existed within the health services of South Africa. He played the violin in the Durban Symphony Orchestra and jogged at least 5km every day. He had married on 17 March 1961 and, when he died on 26 June 1986, he was survived by his wife Iris and his daughter Melissa Rae.