Rabbi Shalom Ber Prus of Beth Menachem Chabad will conduct the six sessions of the Rohr Jewish Learning Institute course, “Strength and Struggle: Lessons in Character from the Stories of Our Prophets,” beginning at 7:45 p.m. May 17 at Beth Menachem Chabad, 349 Dedham St., Newton.

“Strength and Struggle” examines the lives of biblical heroes and antiheroes,

“For many, it will fill an important gap in knowledge in the area of biblical history, and it provides fascinating wisdom from the Talmud and 3,000 years of Jewish literature, to help them deal with life’s struggles on the road to becoming more effective people,” said Rabbi Levi Kaplan of JLI’s headquarters in Brooklyn, New York.

“Strength and Struggle” spans six eras in biblical history, to acquaint participants with the nuances of the Israelites’ earliest history and intimate details, as seen in the lives of many of its characters, including David, Saul, Ruth, Jephthah, Elijah, Elisha and Jonah.

Like all previous JLI programs, “Strength and Struggle” is designed to appeal to people at all levels of Jewish knowledge, including those without any prior experience or background in Jewish learning. All JLI courses are open to the public, and attendees need not be affiliated with a particular synagogue, temple, or other house of worship.

Cost: $100. Includes the student textbook.

For information or to register: 617-244-1200; jewishnewton.com/JLI.