EXHIBIT 99.2



                                             March 17, 1999






Dear Participant:

     As of March 3, 1999, the trust ("DRP Trust") established for
the Columbia Federal Savings Bank (now known as CFS Bank, the
"Bank") Recognition and Retention Plan for Outside Directors
("DRP") held 17,495 shares of common stock of Haven Bancorp, Inc.
(the "Company"), the parent holding company for the Bank.  As a
participant in the DRP, you may direct the voting of the shares of
the Company's common stock held by the DRP Trust that have been
granted to you under the DRP.

     Chase Manhattan Bank has been appointed as an unrelated
corporate trustee for the DRP Trust (the "DRP Trustee").  We, the
Board of Directors, are forwarding to you the attached Vote
Authorization Form, provided for the purpose of conveying your
voting instructions to the DRP Trustee.  The DRP Trustee will vote
those shares of the Company's common stock held in the DRP Trust
that have been granted to participants in accordance with
instructions received from the participants. If the DRP Trustee
does not receive voting instructions with respect to shares that
have been granted to participants, the DRP Trustee will vote such
shares in the same proportion as it votes the shares for which it
has received voting instructions.  

     At this time to direct the voting of shares granted to you
under the DRP, you must complete and sign the enclosed Vote
Authorization Form and return it in the accompanying envelope to
ChaseMellon Shareholder Services L.L.C. ("ChaseMellon"). Your vote
will not be revealed, directly or indirectly, to any director,
officer or other employee of the Company or the Bank. Your shares
will be tallied by ChaseMellon on a confidential basis. 
ChaseMellon will then provide the tabulated results to the DRP
Trustee. The DRP Trustee will then vote the shares in the DRP Trust
based on the voting instructions it has received from participants,
as described above.

                                        Sincerely,




                                        The Board of Directors


                    HAVEN BANCORP, INC.

               ANNUAL MEETING OF STOCKHOLDERS
                      April 21, 1999

                  VOTE AUTHORIZATION FORM


I, having signed this card, hereby instruct the Columbia Federal
Savings Bank Recognition and Retention Plan for Outside Directors
("DRP") Trustee to vote all shares of common stock of Haven
Bancorp, Inc. granted to me under the DRP as set forth on the
reverse side at the Annual Meeting of Stockholders to be held on
April 21, 1999, and any adjournments thereof.




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                                          Please mark your 
                                          votes as indicated  X
                                          in this example    ---


          THE BOARD OF DIRECTORS RECOMMENDS A VOTE "FOR"
                 EACH OF THE LISTED PROPOSALS.

1.  The Election as directors of all nominees listed: (Except as
marked to the contrary below)

George S. Worgul, Michael J. Levine

     FOR                                     VOTE WITHHOLD

           -------                              ------

Instructions: To withhold your vote for any individual nominee,
write that nominee's name on the space provided below:

     -------------------------------------

2.  The ratification of KPMG LLP as independent auditors of Haven
Bancorp, Inc. for the fiscal year ending December 31, 1999.

          FOR            AGAINST             ABSTAIN

         -----            -----               -----

I acknowledge that I have received from the Company prior to the
execution of this proxy a Notice of Annual Meeting of Stockholders,
a Proxy Statement dated March 17, 1999, the Annual Report to
Stockholders and a letter dated March 17, 1999 from the Board of
Directors.

I understand that my voting instructions are solicited by the Board
of Directors on behalf of the DRP Trustee for the Annual
Stockholders Meeting to be held on April 21, 1999, and any
adjournments thereof.  The DRP Trustee is hereby authorized to vote
the shares granted to me, in its trust capacity, as indicated
above.

                                       -------------------------
                                              Signature

                                       -------------------------
                                                 Date

                                      Please sign, date and return
                                      this form in the enclosed
                                      business reply envelope.
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