Loans Receivable and Allowance for Loan Losses (Schedule of Summarized Loans Receivable) (Details) - USD ($) $ in Thousands	Mar. 31, 2018	Dec. 31, 2017
Servicing Liability at Amortized Cost [Line Items]
Total gross loans	$ 7,294,205	$ 7,328,963
Purchased credit-impaired (PCI) loans	946	969
Premiums on purchased loans	3,848	4,029
Unearned discounts	(35)	(36)
Net deferred fees	(7,826)	(8,207)
Total loans	7,291,138	7,325,718
Mortgage Portfolio Segment [Member]
Servicing Liability at Amortized Cost [Line Items]
Total gross loans	5,107,684	5,109,868
Mortgage Portfolio Segment [Member] \| Residential Real Estate [Member]
Servicing Liability at Amortized Cost [Line Items]
Total gross loans	1,127,744	1,142,347
Mortgage Portfolio Segment [Member] \| Commercial Real Estate [Member]
Servicing Liability at Amortized Cost [Line Items]
Total gross loans	2,185,107	2,171,056
Mortgage Portfolio Segment [Member] \| Multifamily [Member]
Servicing Liability at Amortized Cost [Line Items]
Total gross loans	1,423,834	1,403,885
Mortgage Portfolio Segment [Member] \| Construction [Member]
Servicing Liability at Amortized Cost [Line Items]
Total gross loans	370,999	392,580
Commercial Loans [Member]
Servicing Liability at Amortized Cost [Line Items]
Total gross loans	1,725,780	1,745,138
Consumer Loans [Member]
Servicing Liability at Amortized Cost [Line Items]
Total gross loans	$ 460,741	$ 473,957

Purchased Credit-Impaired Loans

No definition available.

Name:	pfs_PurchasedCreditImpairedLoans
Namespace Prefix:	pfs_
Data Type:	xbrli:monetaryItemType
Balance Type:	credit
Period Type:	instant

- Definition

Unamortized Loan Commitment and Origination Fees

+ References

No definition available.

+ Details

Name:	pfs_UnamortizedLoanCommitmentandOriginationFees
Namespace Prefix:	pfs_
Data Type:	xbrli:monetaryItemType
Balance Type:	credit
Period Type:	instant

- Definition

Unearned discounts (other than cash or quantity discounts and the like), finance charges, and interest included in the face amount of receivables, that are shown as a deduction from the related receivables. For example, 1) finance charges booked as a receivable when a loan is made and recognized as income at a later date; and 2) interest charges deducted from the face loan amount, resulting in a discounted amount actually advanced to the borrower (wherein the receivable includes the amount actually advanced to the borrower and the as yet unearned interest income).

+ References

Reference 1: http://www.xbrl.org/2003/role/presentationRef
-Publisher FASB
-Name Accounting Standards Codification
-Topic 310
-SubTopic 10
-Section 45
-Paragraph 8
-URI http://asc.fasb.org/extlink&oid=82891408&loc=d3e4519-111522

+ Details

Name:	us-gaap_DeferredDiscountsFinanceChargesAndInterestIncludedInReceivables
Namespace Prefix:	us-gaap_
Data Type:	xbrli:monetaryItemType
Balance Type:	credit
Period Type:	instant

- Definition

Amount before allowance of loans and leases held in portfolio, including but not limited to, commercial and consumer loans. Includes deferred interest and fees, undisbursed portion of loan balance, unamortized costs and premiums and discounts from face amounts. Excludes loans and leases covered under loss sharing agreements.

+ References

+ Details

Name:	us-gaap_LoansAndLeasesReceivableGrossCarryingAmount
Namespace Prefix:	us-gaap_
Data Type:	xbrli:monetaryItemType
Balance Type:	debit
Period Type:	instant

- Definition

Amount before allowance and after deduction of deferred interest and fees, unamortized costs and premiums and discounts from face amounts, of loans and leases held in portfolio, including but not limited to, commercial and consumer loans. Excludes loans and leases covered under loss sharing agreements.

+ References

Reference 1: http://www.xbrl.org/2003/role/presentationRef
-Publisher FASB
-Name Accounting Standards Codification
-Topic 310
-SubTopic 10
-Section 45
-Paragraph 2
-URI http://asc.fasb.org/extlink&oid=82891408&loc=d3e4428-111522

Reference 2: http://www.xbrl.org/2003/role/presentationRef
-Publisher FASB
-Name Accounting Standards Codification
-Topic 310
-SubTopic 10
-Section 50
-Paragraph 4
-URI http://asc.fasb.org/extlink&oid=84173941&loc=d3e5074-111524

+ Details

Name:	us-gaap_LoansAndLeasesReceivableNetOfDeferredIncome
Namespace Prefix:	us-gaap_
Data Type:	xbrli:monetaryItemType
Balance Type:	debit
Period Type:	instant

- Definition

Line items represent financial concepts included in a table. These concepts are used to disclose reportable information associated with domain members defined in one or many axes to the table.

+ References

No definition available.

+ Details

Name:	us-gaap_ServicingLiabilityAtAmortizedValueLineItems
Namespace Prefix:	us-gaap_
Data Type:	xbrli:stringItemType
Balance Type:	na
Period Type:	duration

- Definition

Amount of deferred fees paid by borrowers and unamortized costs incurred to originate loans and leases, unamortized loan commitments and loan syndication fees, and premiums over or discounts from face amounts of loans that are being amortized into income as an adjustment to yield. Excludes amounts for loans and leases covered under loss sharing agreements.

+ References

Reference 1: http://www.xbrl.org/2003/role/presentationRef
-Publisher FASB
-Name Accounting Standards Codification
-Topic 310
-SubTopic 20
-Section 45
-Paragraph 1
-URI http://asc.fasb.org/extlink&oid=6378536&loc=d3e10092-111533

+ Details

Name:	us-gaap_UnamortizedLoanCommitmentAndOriginationFeesAndUnamortizedDiscountsOrPremiums
Namespace Prefix:	us-gaap_
Data Type:	xbrli:monetaryItemType
Balance Type:	debit
Period Type:	instant

- Details

Name:	us-gaap_FinancingReceivablePortfolioSegmentAxis=pfs_MortgagePortfolioSegmentMember
Namespace Prefix:
Data Type:	na
Balance Type:
Period Type:

- Details

Name:	us-gaap_FinancingReceivableRecordedInvestmentByClassOfFinancingReceivableAxis=us-gaap_ResidentialRealEstateMember
Namespace Prefix:
Data Type:	na
Balance Type:
Period Type:

- Details

Name:	us-gaap_FinancingReceivableRecordedInvestmentByClassOfFinancingReceivableAxis=us-gaap_CommercialRealEstateMember
Namespace Prefix:
Data Type:	na
Balance Type:
Period Type:

- Details

Name:	us-gaap_FinancingReceivableRecordedInvestmentByClassOfFinancingReceivableAxis=us-gaap_MultifamilyMember
Namespace Prefix:
Data Type:	na
Balance Type:
Period Type:

- Details

Name:	us-gaap_FinancingReceivableRecordedInvestmentByClassOfFinancingReceivableAxis=us-gaap_ConstructionLoansMember
Namespace Prefix:
Data Type:	na
Balance Type:
Period Type:

- Details

Name:	us-gaap_FinancingReceivablePortfolioSegmentAxis=us-gaap_CommercialPortfolioSegmentMember
Namespace Prefix:
Data Type:	na
Balance Type:
Period Type:

- Details

Name:	us-gaap_FinancingReceivablePortfolioSegmentAxis=us-gaap_ConsumerPortfolioSegmentMember
Namespace Prefix:
Data Type:	na
Balance Type:
Period Type: