In this very early photograph of the Breuer’s school we see Mr. Breuer already acting as schoolmaster. What is important to know about Mr. Breuer, in my opinion, is that he was not the authoritarian school teacher of 19th century Germany. He was a soft, and  kindhearted person. Now perhaps someone who knew him earlier in his career would say otherwise- and I am sure in as long of a career as he had he might have a detractor, but I give here only my perspective.

As I remember Mr. Breuer of blessed memory, he always smelled like baby powder.

When he sometimes had to substitute for a teacher he would bring in riddles and little trivia quizes for the kids, sometimes based around  Hebrew grammar. I believe that Mr. Breuer had semicha, but refused the honorific “rabbi” not to be confused for his father.

If you were sent to his office he always spoke to you kindly and put his arm on your shoulder and sent you back to class shortly after.

Mr. Breuer did not marry until later in life. His father, the Rav, said that he never thought he would live to see the day.

I sometimes see a pattern wherein a great person has a child that doesn’t marry or doesn’t have offspring and that child is a devotee of his parent, helping perpetuate the legacy.

My father took it in the 50s. I vaguely remember him saying decades ago that it is taken in Schuster’s hall. Our comrade Pinchas B. says it has the same chairs as pictured in an early picture of Schuster’s Hall in the “Rav Breuer” book (top photo on the page following p. 176). That is a good call, but the layout of the room is small and different.

Perhaps this was a minyan in the front room of the hall…if there was a front room back then.

Anyone?