Rabbi Ishay Amano, an ultra-Orthodox Jewish master of Ninjitsu, died last week at the age of 40 after contracting COVID-19.

Israel Today previous wrote about Rabbi Amano. See “Israel’s Ultra-Orthodox Ninja”

Rabbi Amano, who trained other young ultra-Orthodox Jews in the ancient Japanese martial art, had declined vaccination against the coronavirus.

On top of that, he traveled last month on Rosh Hashanah to Uman, Ukraine as part of the annual pilgrimage to the tomb of Rabbi Nachman of Breslov. Israeli and Ukrainian authorities have been warning for the past two years the the massive annual Jewish gathering would lead to widespread COVID infections.

Immediately upon his return to Israel, Rabbi Amano was transferred to Rambam Hospital in Haifa in serious condition. He died on Thursday.