The blue emblem is adapted from Heinrich Bünting’s celebrated 1581 cloverleaf map, which places Europe, Asia, and Africa around Jerusalem at the center of the world. Its shape also evokes a hexagonal ring of the steroid nucleus, creating a link between my career in endocrinology and Jerusalem, the city central to my life and work.
Physician-Scientist | Author | Cultural Writer | Traveler | Photographer
Born in Johannesburg, South Africa, Irving Spitz trained as a physician before emigrating to Israel with his wife and their two daughters in 1970.
During a distinguished career in endocrinology, he made important contributions to clinical research and treatment and received international recognition for his work.
Beyond medicine, his lifelong interests include opera, art, history, archaeology, photography, travel, and writing. His books reflect a life shaped by professional achievement, family, faith, cultural exploration, and journeys across more than 70 countries.
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About Irving M. Spitz
Early Life and Family
Irving M. Spitz was born in Johannesburg, South Africa, in 1939. He graduated in medicine from the University of the Witwatersrand, where he later earned both a PhD and a DSc. In 1997, he was elected a Fellow of the Royal College of Physicians of London.
In 1970, Irving and his wife, Diane, emigrated to Israel with their two daughters. Family has always been at the heart of his life. He is the proud father of two daughters, grandfather of five grandchildren, and great-grandfather of one great-grandchild. Their love, accomplishments, and continuing presence in his life have been an enduring source of happiness and inspiration.
Medical and Scientific Career Irving’s medical career focused on endocrinology and reproductive medicine. He documented previously unrecognized endocrine disorders, helped introduce innovative treatments, and played a pivotal role in organizing the first large multicenter clinical trials of mifepristone in the United States. This work helped establish a major advance in women’s reproductive health.
He has authored more than 230 scientific papers, books, and reviews, lectured internationally, and advised leading medical and pharmaceutical organizations. In recognition of his contributions to endocrinology and women’s health, the Endocrine Society awarded him the Sidney H. Ingbar Distinguished Service Award in 2013.
In 2022, Irving was profiled in A Century of Achievement, a publication celebrating distinguished graduates of the University of the Witwatersrand Medical School.
Writing, Travel, and Cultural Interests
Medicine, however, has never been Irving’s only passion. His lifelong interests include opera, classical music, art, history, archaeology, travel, photography, and the cartography of the Holy Land. He has written more than 150 cultural essays and reviews for The Jerusalem Post, as well as for international journals and books.
His publications bring together the many strands of his life, including medicine, family, faith, travel, photography, and cultural exploration. Together, they reflect a lifelong curiosity about people, places, ideas, and the world around him.
Contact
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