When members of Highland Presbyterian Church in Winston-Salem, N.C., gathered for their annual Pentecost service earlier this year, they found themselves asking a simple but profound question: how could the congregation’s giving reach young people and make a tangible difference in the world?
For Associate Pastor Debbie Layman (pictured above), the answer unfolded through a chain of personal connections and shared values that ultimately led to a generous gift to Guilford College’s Ornstein-Ramallah Endowment.
The endowment “checked all of our boxes,” Debbie says. “It was local, it supports education, and it offers hope and connection to young people in a part of the world where hope feels fragile.”
The idea came, fittingly, through one of Highland’s own young adults, who had recently completed a year of service at the United Nations office of the Presbyterian Church (USA) working squarely in the midst of Palestinian-Israeli issues. That work took on urgent new meaning after the 2023 Hamas-led attacks in southern Israel.
When the church member finished her work at the U.N., she shared her experiences with Highland members during their Pentecost Sunday service this year. “Everyone was deeply moved by her reflections and her commitment,” says Debbie.
That morning’s offering sparked conversation within Highland’s Global Service Committee, which wanted their Pentecost funds to continue to connect young people here and abroad, and channel compassion into practical support.
The connection to Guilford emerged through another member of the congregation, who reached out to Steve Feldman, a friend and advocate for Guilford’s Ornstein-Ramallah Endowment. When Feldman shared the story behind the fund, Debbie and the committee immediately felt the resonance.
The endowment was established by Marjon Ornstein ’49, a Jewish Guilfordian alum, in honor of her roommate Rachel Thomas Benfey ’49, recognizing their shared commitment to peace and education in the Middle East. The fund has since supported Palestinian students and sustained a long-standing partnership between Guilford College and the Ramallah Friends School.
“The story of a Jewish graduate honoring a Palestinian friend — and doing so through a Quaker college known for its peace testimony — spoke powerfully to us,” Debbie says. “It was about friendship, about interfaith understanding, and about believing that small acts of generosity can ripple outward in lasting ways.”
Debbie says the committee had also been wrestling with a sense of helplessness many people feel when hearing news from Gaza and the West Bank. “So often we hear about aid not getting through, or relief not reaching the people who need it most,” she says. “We wanted to find a way to support hope — to say to someone across the world, ‘We see you. We care. There are people who haven’t given up on peace.’”
Through the Pentecost offering, Highland Presbyterian turned that hope into action. The gift to the Ornstein-Ramallah Endowment not only sustains scholarships for students but reinforces the college’s enduring relationships in the region — a commitment rooted in Quaker values of peace, equality, and service.
For Guilford, the connection with Highland Presbyterian feels especially fitting. Both communities share a belief in the transformative power of education and the moral obligation to extend compassion beyond borders.
Elizabeth Freeze, Guilford’s Chief Philanthropy Officer, says the College is honored to receive the gift. “Highland Presbyterian is leaving a legacy by supporting this important endowed scholarship,” she says. “The Palestinian students who receive the Ornstein scholarship are part of this campus community forever.”
Debbie says the church’s gift isn’t just about money. “I’s about bearing witness to the idea that even in dark times, partnerships like this can keep the light of understanding alive.”