Board of Rabbis

Rabbi Edward "Levi" Nydle was born in Ottumwa, Iowa June 4, 1954. He was the second born son of Edward H. and Gretta L. Nydle. He was raised in a home where his mother taught the Christian faith to the children. He was the typical "baby boomer" and grew up in the turbulent decades of the sixties and seventies. Since a small child he had "spiritual" inclinations and found he was very interested in the teachings of the Scriptures. In his spiritual journey he visited several different "churches" hoping to find TRUTH. He always knew that "something was missing" from their message and continued his search for TRUTH. He married Joan (Yohannah) Pilcher in 1990. They both spent their time and talents that YHWH had given them teaching in a church for over 8 years He was an instructor at the local church Bible College, specializing in the Hebrew aspects of the Scriptures . He was well received by the students as his teachings were deeper teachings and they loved his enthusiastic approach and insights into the Scriptures. He was non-compromising in his presentation of the Word and challenged his students to go deeper in their walk with the Messiah. In 1996 they started teaching a home "Torah Study" that was packed with hungry believers to learn more about the Hebrew Roots of their faith. In 1998 they left the whole "church" system with its paganism in order to plant a Torah observant Messianic Congregation in Ottumwa. Rabbi Ed teaches in a manner that weaves the TaNaK and the Brit Chadasha into ONE book, for ONE people, who worship the ONE true Elohim of Yisrael. He challenges his students to THINK for themselves and search the Scriptures to see if what he is teaching is true. He loves teaching the Torah and uses the PRDS method in his teachings. He has taught on the Tabernacle, the Torah, YHWH Shammah, the Two Houses, Kabbalah, and various other Torah related topics. His heart’s desire is to bring Wisdom, Understanding, and Knowledge to ALL Yisrael. Rabbi Ed is retired from the USPS and Yohannah is employed in the local SIEDA facility. All their extra time is spent laboring in the ministry of B’nai Avraham. They have four children (3 boys and one girl). Rabbi Ed and Yohannah were ordained on March 18, 2000 in Miami Beach Florida. Also, they both hold ordination papers with the UTHMC since its beginning in 2001.He is the co-founder of the UONYC after leaving the MIA for various reasons concerning Torah observance .Rabbi Edward also serves on the board of the UTHMC and is the president of the UONYC. B’nai Avraham is a Torah observant, Two-House Congregation located in Ottumwa, Iowa. It meets for Sabbath services and observes all the Feasts of Yahweh.

Rabbi Tom Mitchell is the also on the UONYC Board. Born May 18, 1944, Tom was adopted by maternal grandparents at age two. He had a "spiritual" experience at age 12. Although raised as a nominal "Christian," Tom developed a keen in interest in things "Jewish" at the same age. One of the "down" points in his life was when he had a family member tear up a Bible to discourage his faith. This happened on his 13th birthday. In his later teen years, Tom slipped away from "religion" in general and went the ways of the world. Tom enlisted in the USAF in 1961 and served until 1965 when he received his Honorable Discharge. Shortly after returning home, he married his first wife and together had four children, Judy, Kristen, Michelle, Joshua and Joel. In 1968, he made an attempt to become more Torah observant by keeping the 7th Day Shabbat. However, he was not well-grounded in Scripture and allowed some "Christian friends'' to discourage him, by telling him that he was becoming a "legalist" and a "Judaiser." After a deeper period of study, Rabbi Tom re-committed to Yahshua Messiah and to a life of full Torah observance in 1972. In 1988, he obtained a Scriptural divorce and in 1992, married JoAnne Elisabeth Kulow of Fond du Lac, Wis., Jewish by Matriarchal lineage. In his early years he worked as a professional logger and and equipment operator, and for several years as a municipal police officer. For the past several decades he has worked as a professional journalist for several newspapers and magazines. For the past six years Tom has been employed as a staff writer by the Leader Times (newspaper) of Kittanning, Pa., part of Tribune Review Publishing, Pittsburgh.He is now retired and spends his time shepherding his congregation and various other interests. Rabbi Tom and JoAnne live on 25 acres of land in Manor Township. Besides his love for Torah study and some of the extra Jewish writings, he enjoys gardening, beekeeping, chess, amateur radio, fishing, and the shooting sports. In 1993, they were blessed with twin sons, Ariel Sharon and Ethan Israel Mitchell. The boys were born on the Rosh Chodesh (new moon) of Sivan. In 1998 he was made a "Zaken" (Elder) with Tikvat T'Zion Messianic Jewish Synagogue, New Castle, Pa. (Due to developing doctrinal differences, he left that synagogue in 2000, but remains friends with the Rabbi and Rebbitzen). At Sukkot in 2000 at Bnai Avraham in Ottumwa Iowa, Tom made a public renunciation of the Babylonian system by taking a Hebrew Name, Mordecai Halevi. Also at that time Tom and JoAnne founded Yahshua Ohr HaOlam (Yahshua Light of the World) Messianic Israelite Synagogue. They presently conduct weekly Bible studies in their home and organize annual moadim for the synagogue and the community. Currently, Rabbi Tom is studying Hebrew to get a deeper grasp if the Heavenly Language. He began his Hebrew studies in the late 1970s. He encourages all the people he meets to begin a program of intense Torah study. The Mitchells believe that the Torah is the basis of our faith.