INCOME TAXES (Details) (USD $) In Thousands, unless otherwise specified	3 Months Ended								12 Months Ended
	Dec. 31, 2013	Sep. 30, 2013	Jun. 30, 2013	Mar. 31, 2013	Dec. 31, 2012	Sep. 30, 2012	Jun. 30, 2012	Mar. 31, 2012	Dec. 31, 2013	Dec. 31, 2012	Dec. 31, 2011
Current Income Tax Expense (Benefit) [Abstract]
Federal									$ 22,475	$ 21,607	$ 25,580
State and City									7,806	7,351	7,231
Current Income Tax Expense (Benefit), Total									30,281	28,958	32,811
Deferred Income Tax Expense (Benefit) [Abstract]
Federal									362	(1,395)	(1,145)
State and City									(1,302)	(673)	(78)
Deferred Income Tax Expense (Benefit), Total									(940)	(2,068)	(1,223)
Federal, Total									22,837	20,212	24,435
State and City, Total									6,504	6,678	7,153
Income Tax Expense (Benefit), Total	6,891	7,215	8,059	7,176	3,534	8,280	8,004	7,072	29,341	26,890	31,588
Income Tax Reconciliation [Abstract]
Tax at Federal statutory rate									25,511	23,519	27,614
State and local taxes, net of federal income tax benefit									4,228	4,341	4,319
Benefit plan differences									(445)	(114)	(122)
Adjustments for prior period tax returns									422	63	185
Investment in BOLI									(585)	(591)	(615)
Adjustment for unrecognized tax benefits									0	0	(1,026)
Other, net									210	(328)	1,233
Income Tax Expense (Benefit), Total	6,891	7,215	8,059	7,176	3,534	8,280	8,004	7,072	29,341	26,890	31,588
Effective tax rate (in hundredths)									40.25%	40.02%	40.04%
Deferred Tax Assets [Abstract]
Allowance for loan losses	9,518				9,902				9,518	9,902
Employee benefit plans	15,478				17,681				15,478	17,681
Credit component of OTTI	4,088				4,052				4,088	4,052
Other	2,435				1,970				2,435	1,970
Total deferred tax assets	31,519				33,605				31,519	33,605
Deferred Tax Liabilities [Abstract]
Tax effect of other components of income on investment securities and MBS	559				86				559	86
Difference in book and tax carrying value of fixed assets	986				337				986	337
Tax effect of purchase accounting fair value adjustments	0				0				0	0
Other	109				232				109	232
Total deferred tax liabilities	1,654				655				1,654	655
Net deferred tax asset (recorded in other assets)	29,865				32,950				29,865	32,950
Bad debt reserve subject to recapture [Abstract]
Accumulated bad debt reserves for which no provision for income tax was required to be recorded	15,158				15,158				15,158	15,158
Additional income tax expense due to bad debt recapture									6,844	6,985
Reconciliation of Unrecognized Tax Benefits [Roll Forward]
Gross unrecognized tax benefits at the beginning of the period								0		0	1,408
Lapse of Applicable Statute of Limitations											0
Settlement with taxing jurisdictions											0
Gross increases - current period tax positions											0
Gross decreases - current period tax positions											0
Gross increases - prior period tax positions											0
Gross decreases - prior period tax positions											(1,408)
Gross unrecognized tax benefits at the end of the period											0
Unrecognized tax benefits, interest on income taxes expense eliminated											$ 440