A RELIGION, NEW to this country, is taking root here and Kingstown Park resident, Noladmechadash Ben Israel, formerly Winford Roberts, is encouraging persons to come on board.

The group’s name is “Israel United in Christ” or “IUIC”, and Noladmechadash says their teachings are being shared in many countries including Barbados, Trinidad, Jamaica, Cuba and Venezuela.

The local group is an offshoot of the United States based Israel United in Christ which was founded in 2003, by Natanyel Ben Israel because he wanted “to resurrect the Twelve Tribes of Israel”.

Noladmechadash said they are not yet fully affiliated to the parent group, but are hoping to become a full member soon and open a school here.

We are teaching people that we are the direct descendants of Abraham, Isaac and Jacob. We ain’t Africans

The group believes that the descendants of the lost 12 tribes of Israel and true biblical Jews are the Black Americans/Negros, West Indians, and Native Americans of North and South America and those scattered throughout the whole planet.

Locally, the group has 12 members and Noladmechadash told SEARCHLIGHT that the group is growing as they meet with persons regularly to spread their message.

“We are teaching people that we are the direct descendants of Abraham, Isaac and Jacob. We ain’t Africans,” Noladmechadash told SEARCHLIGHT while adding, “they taught us we are Africans in school because our foreparents bring us from Africa in the Atlantic Slave Trade, but they never taught us where we came from and who we were before that.”

The Kingstown Park resident said that most of the black man’s history starts with slavery and that is wrong.

He said that he was once a Christian and later moved to Rastafarianism but abandoned that way of life also after coming across the teachings of IUIC.

Noladmechadash said the group is for everyone, any age and sex and that their youngest member is 24 and the eldest is close to 50 years old.

Persons interested in joining the group may call 498-1223. The group meets every Saturday at the home of any one of its members and they will also soon hold sessions on Wednesdays for bible study and fellowship. Currently the local chapter has no leader.

NOLADMECHADASH BEN ISRAEl, formerly Winford Roberts