VOLUNTEER
DOR@HMLA
DOR, Descendants of Remembrance, is a collective of children, grandchildren, and great-grandchildren of Holocaust survivors who seek to steward the legacy of their family history in order to connect through personal stories, inspire cross-cultural conversations, and educate against hate. Launched in 2023, DOR@HMLA is a speaker training program that will offer participants the opportunity to learn how to present an engaging, historically accurate, and educational presentation about their family’s experience during the Holocaust. Upon successfully completing the training, participants will be eligible to join the speaker’s bureau at Holocaust Museum LA.
All participants are expected to attend every session of the 6-session intensive training as well as complete the assigned exercises.
If you are interested in joining the program, please fill out the following application by April 16.
In-Person Training sessions are on Thursday evenings from 6:00 – 8:30 pm at Brawerman West. Training Dates are April 23, 30, May 7, 14, 21, and 28. Sessions will begin and end on time.
Teen DOR
Teen DOR (Descendants of Remembrance) at Holocaust Museum LA is a collective of grandchildren and great-grandchildren of Holocaust survivors dedicated to stewarding and preserving their family legacies.
This 9-week intensive training will cover Holocaust history, narrative building, and presentation skills. Upon completion of the program, students will be empowered to become leaders in their community, educating their peers on the Holocaust and its relevant lessons.
Tuesdays, 4:30-6:30pm
Meeting Location: Beverly Hills (location to be sent out upon acceptance to the program)
Program Dates: January 20, 27, February 3, 10, 24, March 3, 10, 17, and 24.
No session during President’s Week (February 17)
Please submit applications by January 15.
Application link
For more information, please contact Fanny Wolfowitz (fanny@hmla.org) or Jessie Handler (jessie@hmla.org).
Shapiro Grandchildren Internship Program
High School Internship
HMLA’s High School Summer Internship is an immersive program for motivated students with a strong interest in Holocaust history, survivor testimony, and museum education. Participants gain a strong foundation in Holocaust history through engagement with primary sources, art, media, group discussion, and personal narratives, while learning how museums preserve memory and educate the public.
Throughout the program, interns interact with the Holocaust survivors and/or their descendants, explore museum work and educational philosophy, and develop professional skills including critical thinking, collaboration, and public speaking. Working as a cohort, interns complete a culminating group project that reflects their learning and contributes meaningfully to the museum’s mission.
This internship is ideal for students who are intellectually curious, thoughtful, and passionate about Holocaust education and remembrance.
Program Dates: June 22 – July 17, 2026
Hours: Monday–Thursday, 10:00 am – 3:00 pm
Location: In person at Holocaust Museum LA
Application Deadline: Friday, March 27, 2026
For questions, please contact Jessie Handler at jessie@hmla.org
Oral History Internship
Participants will gain experience and exposure to legacy testimony materials, the oral history interview process, and the museum’s approach to cataloging. The intern will assist with the ongoing project of inventorying and cataloging the Museum’s audiovisual materials, including tasks such as reviewing and organizing oral history interviews, creating and editing transcripts, drafting interview abstracts, and producing rich descriptive metadata. This in-person internship provides hands-on experience for those interested in careers in history, public history, writing, library science, archives, or museum studies.
Duties:
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Collect and create metadata for digital interview files according to HMLA best practices, including standardization of naming conventions, implementation of HMLA approved subject terms, and the production of rich descriptive metadata for appropriate information fields.
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Review and create inventories for testimony and oral history interviews, including some physical organization of materials in preparation for cataloging.
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Produce and proofread transcripts for interviews.
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Conduct background research on narrators and subjects related to individual interviews.
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Review controlled vocabulary lists used by other institutions and continue the development of HMLA’s oral history and testimony subject term catalog.
Qualifications:
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Enrollment in or recent graduate from an undergraduate or graduate program, preferably with a focus in history, library studies or museum studies.
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Background knowledge on various digital and analog media formats.
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Strong interest in working within oral history, public history, museum collections management, and digital asset management.
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Strong written communication skills, including editing and composition skills.
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Ability to work independently in a detailed and organized manner.
To apply for this internship, please email a cover letter, a copy of your resume and a writing sample to archive@hmla.org.
Archival Internship
The Museum’s paid internship program invites qualified candidates to learn about the Holocaust, as well as the way in which a museum operates, specifically related to the archives. Working in a hybrid capacity, interns will learn and assist with the various methods and steps required to process, digitize, preserve, and catalog objects in an environment dedicated to Holocaust history and education. Interns will have the opportunity to research, organize and catalog materials donated to the Museum’s collection, making them accessible via the Museum’s digital database.
Duties:
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Organize and catalogue materials for the Museum’s collection, including conducting background and historical research, translation (where applicable), etc.
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Assist Archives staff in various tasks related to the administration and cataloguing of the physical records relating to the Museum’s archive and collection.
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Provide research assistance for Museum exhibits and social media postings as needed.
Internship Qualifications:
Required
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Recent or current enrollment in undergraduate or graduate program, preferably with a focus in Holocaust studies, history, library studies or museum studies.
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Interest in archival methods and research.
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Strong written communication skills, including a knowledge of editing and composition.
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Ability to work both independently and as part of a team.
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Strong computer skills.
Preferred
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Interest in Holocaust and 20th-century European history.
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Previous experience with a Collections Management System.
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Fluency in German, Polish, Dutch, French, Russian or Hungarian
**Internship can be offered as course credit when arranged with applicable university**
To apply for this internship, please email a cover letter, a copy of your resume and a writing sample to archive@hmla.org.
Education Internship
Participants will gain experience in Holocaust education, public programming, and museum-based learning. The intern will support the development and facilitation of educational initiatives, working closely with staff to engage diverse audiences and contribute to meaningful, community-centered experiences. This in-person internship provides hands-on experience for those interested in careers in education, history, museum studies, community engagement, or the arts.
Duties:
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Assist with the development and implementation of educational programs, workshops, and tours
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Support program facilitation for students, educators, and community groups
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Conduct research to support curriculum development and educational materials
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Contribute to written content, including program descriptions, educational resources, and outreach materials
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Collaborate with staff on special projects related to exhibitions, class room learning, and community engagement
Internship Qualifications:
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Enrollment in or recent graduate from an undergraduate or graduate program, preferably in education, history, Jewish studies, museum studies, or a related field
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Strong interest in Holocaust education, public history, and community engagement
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Excellent written and verbal communication skills
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Ability to work both independently and collaboratively in a diverse environment
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Maturity, thoughtfulness, and strong organizational skills
To apply for this internship, please email a cover letter, a copy of your resume and a writing sample to education@hmla.org.
Docent Training
"Participating in the docent training program at Holocaust Museum LA has been an incredibly rewarding and life changing experience. Not only do I have a deeper understanding of Holocaust history, but the experience has left me with a deep sense of responsibility to share what I have learned with the students who visit the museum. Giving tours has been such an enlightening experience, especially when I see those “aha” moments in the eyes of the students." - Hava, Holocaust Museum LA Docent
Join our Museum community and become part of a dedicated, dynamic group of volunteer docents who are educating the next generation and fulfilling the mission of our founding Holocaust survivors to commemorate, educate, and inspire.
This is a great opportunity if you:
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Love working with people, especially middle and high school students.
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Have a passion for history and education.
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Believe the Holocaust should never be forgotten, and its lessons taught.
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Want to make a difference!
As a docent you will:
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Lead tours of the Museum galleries for students.
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Educate on Holocaust history.
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Engage students while utilizing primary sources, oral history, and gallery education techniques.
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Connect with others who are passionate about history, education, and culture!
To become a docent, you must participate in and complete the docent training program. During the training you will learn about the history of Holocaust Museum LA, participate in museum tours and special lectures, master teaching techniques, learn the historical context of the Holocaust, and become familiar with the Museum’s collection and exhibits.
All docents must:
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Volunteer for at least two 3-hour time slots each month
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Conduct 90-minute tours
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Attend all 12 docent training sessions
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Successfully complete written and oral tests within 35 days of the end of training
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Adhere to Museum rules and standards
Please fill out this form to receive updates regarding our next docent training opportunity.
For more information, please contact our Education Project Manager, Fanny Wolfowitz, at fanny@hmla.org
Holocaust Survivor Speakers
The Museum is always looking for Holocaust survivors who would like to speak to our visitors about their own experience. If you are a Holocaust survivor and you would like to help us teach younger generations about what happened during WWII, please contact us.
For more information please contact Michael Morgenstern at (323) 456-5083 or michael@hmla.org
Other Opportunities
Whether you are a 16-year-old student or an 80-year-old Holocaust survivor, the Museum has many interesting projects to fill your available volunteer hours.
We are looking for volunteers to assist with a variety of tasks, including the following:
Helping with administrative tasks and data entry in our offices;
Working with our visitor services staff to greet and assist visitors;
Helping our staff run events -- especially on weekends -- by running errands, setting up chairs and sound equipment, and driving survivors to and from the Museum.
To become a volunteer at Holocaust Museum LA, please fill out our Volunteer Application. For more information, please email