MILWAUKEE – We must remember human dignity.
That was the message from two local Jewish leaders at a prayer vigil for immigrant families, held at Milwaukee City Hall.
The interfaith coalition gathered at Milwaukee City Hall on Jan. 26, 2026, for the prayer vigil for Renee Good, Alex Pretti and immigrant families, where speakers called for justice, due process and humane immigration policies.
Renee Nicole Good, 37, a U.S. citizen and mother of three, was fatally shot by an Immigration and Customs Enforcement agent in Minneapolis on Jan. 7, 2026, an incident that sparked protests nationwide. Alex Pretti, 37, an intensive care nurse with the U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs who grew up in Green Bay, was shot and killed by U.S. Customs and Border Protection agents in Minneapolis on Jan. 24, 2026.
The vigil drew Jewish and other community leaders to the building’s rotunda, including Roberta Clark, executive director of the Jewish Community Relations Council of the Milwaukee Jewish Federation, and Rabbi Noah Chertkoff, who leads Congregation Shalom in Fox Point and recently became a U.S. citizen.
Clark opened her remarks by citing the Book of Deuteronomy and the Torah’s call to pursue justice, stressing that “our means must be as just as our ends.” She said history has shown that strong democratic institutions are essential for the safety of all communities, including immigrants, and urged opposition to efforts that expand immigration enforcement’s authority without proper oversight.
“The Jewish Community Relations Council … believes in a just, democratic and pluralistic society,” Clark said, adding that every person “deserves to be treated with dignity” regardless of immigration status, faith or political affiliation. She framed support for immigrant communities as part of a broader responsibility to safeguard constitutional democracy and protect the vulnerable.
Chertkoff, who described Aug. 30, 2023, the day he took the oath of citizenship, as one of the proudest days of his life, said that experience deepened his sense of obligation to speak out now.
“When we raised our hands that day, we pledged allegiance to the Constitution of the United States of America,” he said. “Our neighbors, our friends, our families are deserving of all of the constitutional rights bestowed upon any American, and … of due process.”
Drawing on the weekly Torah portion, he warned against a “darkness” that prevents people from seeing human dignity in one another. He called for transparency whenever lethal force is used and urged “serious, humane immigration reform crafted not for political gain, but for the good of the nation.” Quoting poet Emma Lazarus’ famous words from the Statue of Liberty, he described America’s promise to the “tired” and “poor” as a moral claim and a spiritual test.
Both Clark and Chertkoff linked Jewish teachings to contemporary concerns about immigration, civil rights and the health of American democracy, framing advocacy for immigrants as a religious and civic duty. The vigil also included prayers for those living in fear, for grieving families, and for leaders to uphold the law “with compassion” and to wield power “with humility.”
Organizers said the event was intended to honor Good and Pretti, stand in solidarity with immigrant families and protesters, and reaffirm a shared commitment to justice, dignity and the rule of law at a moment of heightened concern over immigration enforcement and political rhetoric.
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Rabbi Noah Chertkoff, who described Aug. 30, 2023, the day he took the oath of citizenship, as one of the proudest days of his life, said that experience deepened his sense of obligation to speak out now. He spoke at a Milwaukee City Hall prayer vigil on Jan. 26, 2026. Photo by Rob Golub.
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