 He completed his primary and secondary school education at Lagos Grammar School and Abeokuta Grammar School respectively before proceeding to Fourah Bay College, Freetown where he completed his undergraduate studies.Upon his graduation from Fourah Bay College, Israel returned to Nigeria in 1916 to begin his career first as a class teacher at Abeokuta Grammar School until 1918 when he left his hometown.He was appointed as the principal of Ijebu Ode Grammar School for thirteen years and went on to found the Association of Headmasters of Ijebu Schools in 1926.