The Vanishing Street

Moving record of a once-thriving East End Jewish community on the cusp of enormous change

This classic documentary by Robert Vas depicts the way of life in an east London Jewish community on Hessel Street, Whitechapel. Its back-to-back houses and small shops are about to be replaced by high-rise flats. The thriving community is seen in the street market, the food shops and the synagogue. The soundtrack plays a key part in the film as Yiddish songs are interspersed with snatches of conversation and people buying and selling. This film was sponsored by the Jewish Chronicle with support from the BFI Experimental Film Fund.