hmTv at HMTC Podcasts Ep 430: Unmasked. Unfiltered. Unapologetic with Bali Lerner and guest Rawan Osman on hmTv
Ep. 430 | Unmasked. Unfiltered. Unapologetic.
Host: Bali Lerner
Guest: Rawan Osman
In this powerful and deeply personal conversation, HMTC Executive Director Bali Lerner sits down with activist and speaker Rawan Osman, who describes herself as a “recovered anti-Semite.” Raised in Lebanon and educated in a cultural environment where hatred of Jews was normalized, Rawan shares the remarkable journey that led her to question everything she had been taught.
From childhood indoctrination and media narratives to her first shocking encounter with Jewish life in Europe, Rawan recounts how exposure, education, and simple human kindness shattered decades of propaganda. She explains how fear, social pressure, and anti-normalization laws prevented dialogue in the Middle East, and how firsthand experiences forced her to confront misinformation she once accepted as truth.
The discussion also explores modern antisemitism, the dangers of propaganda, the power of personal relationships, and the role education plays in shaping moral courage. Bali and Rawan connect the lessons of the Holocaust to today’s climate, emphasizing responsibility, empathy, and the importance of telling authentic stories in the age of social media.
This episode is not about politics. It is about transformation, accountability, and hope. Above all, it asks a difficult but essential question: how does hatred take root, and how can ordinary people help stop it?
A challenging, thought-provoking conversation about truth, identity, and the human capacity to change.