Panovs Credit Their Release from the USSR to Public Campaigns

Valery and Galina Panov credited their release from the Soviet Union to emigrate to Israel to the world-wide public campaign conducted for them. Panov, who arrived in New York with his wife, Thursday night for an American tour, told a press conference Friday that “you gave us life because you stirred up public opinion” and urged continuation of such efforts.

Panov praised Sen. Henry M. Jackson, the Washington Democrat, for demanding that Soviet Jews be guaranteed the right to emigrate in exchange for U.S. trade concessions. He said the Senator was “a wonderful combination of a human being and a man of courage who refused to compromise the human rights and the futures of men and women like me and my wife and my fellow Jews in the Soviet Union.” He described the KGB’s harassment and Jailings of himself and his wife as a deliberate effort to destroy the ballet dancers mentally, physically and as artists.

Panov said he and his wife. “plan to make our home and our base in Israel, and eventually recruit dancers from around the world, as well as teach and train Israelis, to form a classical ballet company there, the first one ever in that country.” Their first appearance in the United States will be as honor guests at a dinner here tomorrow night at which 500 Jewish leaders will inaugurate New York’s first United Jewish Appeal and Federation of Jewish Philanthropies joint campaign for Jewish needs at home. in Israel and throughout the world. An official City Hall reception is planned for the Panovs at noon Tuesday.

Their first professional performance in the United States will be held Dec. 10 at the Spectrum in Philadelphia. Proceeds will go toward financing activities on behalf of Soviet Jewry. After London appearance to tape a BBC special, they will return to the U.S. for a performance in Washington on Dec. 17 and at the Los Angeles Shrine Auditorium Jan, 4 and Jan. 5. They are scheduled to return to Israel next March.

PANOVS SYMBOLIZE STRUGGLE

When Galina and Valery Panov arrived here Thursday they were greeted by children bearing roses and civic and communal leaders at Kennedy Airport. The Panovs’ New York visit is under the auspices of the UJA and Federation Joint campaign. The welcoming party included Samuel Hausman, a member of the UJA-Federation Joint board and Bronx Borough President Robert Abrams, a vice-chairman of the Greater New York Conference on Soviet Jewry. Hausman noted. in his (welcome that the Panovs are two of the 100,000 Jews who have managed to emigrate from the Soviet Union to Israel in the past three years.

Stanley H. Lowell, chairman of the National Conference on Soviet Jewry, issued a statement declaring that the Panovs “symbolize the struggle of all Soviet Jews who are repressed and held captive in a society which is hostile and even dangerous to them.”

Earlier this month in Tel Aviv, an enthusiastic audience of more than 300 cheered lustily for almost 10 minutes after what was generally proclaimed by those present as an unusual, long-to-be-remembered performance by Valery and Galina Panov. The capacity audience gave the stars a standing ovation and threw roses and carnations onto the stage of the Mann Auditorium. Israeli critics said afterwards that their performance was an exemplary demonstration not only of ballet as an art but also the expression of the human spirit which overcame prolonged difficulties by leaping over the Iron Curtain into the free world.