Jenkomra…a village of breathtaking beauty

The abundant production and the good quality of its apples made it one of the most famous villages in Homs Governorate; it is “Jenkomra,” the village that is built in the midst of beautiful nature and fresh springs.

The village is located in the western countryside of Homs governorate, sixty kilometers away from the governorate center. It is administratively affiliated to the municipality of “Qarb Ali” in the “Talkalakh” area.

“Jenkomra” is about seven hundred meters above sea level, and its lands overlap with the lands of “Tartous” governorate from the west. It is bordered to the east by the villages of Hasor and Hadiyah, to the west by the town of Qarb Ali and the lands of Al-Kafroun and Marmarita, to the south by the village of Al-Kima, and to the north by the village of Baidar Al-Rafi’ , while it is about 13 km from the town of “Mashta El Helou”.

As for calling the village by that name; some people say that the origin of the word goes back to the Syriac language and means “Janet Al-Kahen”, (the priest’s paradise), as it was said that the area was previously inhabited by a number of Christian priests and hermits.

Others say that the meaning of the word “Jenkomra” goes back to the word “Jana’en,” (gardens), where it was a group of gardens that were planted with the vine. The owners of these gardens brought farmers to reap the fruits of these vineyards, so the farmers began building houses in that area and called the village, ”Jana’en Al-Karma” (gardens of the vine), and with time it turned into “Jenkomra.”

In addition to the breathtaking beauty of its nature, the 600 – years old “Jenkomra,” is characterized by its mountainous climate that is moderate in summer and cold in winter, and abundant water, as it is located on the banks of the “Rawel” River, and thanks to its people’s interest in agriculture, it has become an evergreen village. In addition to a forest of oak trees that dates back to more than 500 years, where the people of Jenkomra take a walk and relax.

Most of the villagers depend mainly on apple cultivation, as they produce good crops that are exported to other governorates and even abroad. They also plant fruit trees including vines, peaches and some seasonal crops, such as wheat and corn. The other part of people work in poultry and cattle farming. 

The people of the village hold an annual tradition where all the people of the village gather in the village square. It is called the “Feast of Joy in God.” The feast takes place on August 25 of every year, in which sweets are distributed to all the people of the village, religious hymns are recited, and people hold a big party.

The village includes three schools covering all levels of basic and secondary education. The percentage of educated people in the village of Jenkomra is about 99 percent.

It is worth noting that Jenkomra is one of the dozens of Homs villages that its people loved so much so they loved life and planted beauty and goodness from its land to be an example for Syria and its people.

Amal Farhat