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This article was originally published in .

The “new normal” that’s been with us since the middle of March, with its unprecedented “shelter in place” quarantine, has shuttered our schools, turning bedrooms into virtual classrooms and parents into learning facilitators.

In the New York tri-state area, where the lion’s share of coronavirus cases have been diagnosed, this lockdown has been extended until at least the end of this school year. And then, even if our day schools are permitted to reopen in September, future random outbreaks — especially in major metropolitan areas — may again land us in another shutdown. Being prepared for disruption is critical.

Thankfully, for many of the Jewish day schools across America, the transition from educating our children in physical classrooms to virtual ones has been seamless due to a vital academic institution in Israel.

In the six years since the Lookstein Virtual Jewish Academy was established at ¼ÓÄôóPC¿ª½±ÍøÕ¾ in Ramat-Gan, it has been pioneering programs to educate students and teachers across the globe with unique e-learning. Until now, it has been especially beneficial to families living remotely from major Jewish areas who still want their children to receive a Jewish educational foundation.

Since the start of the COVID-19 pandemic, the Lookstein Virtual Academy has been working daily with approximately 50 yeshivot and day schools around the United