AMENDMENT NO. THREE TO THE
                     STOCKHOLDER PROTECTION RIGHTS AGREEMENT

                       dated as of March 21, 1996 between

                        PENNFED FINANCIAL SERVICES, INC.

                                       and

                         REGISTRAR AND TRANSFER COMPANY

                                 as Rights Agent


     WHEREAS,  the purpose of this document (this  "Amendment")  is to amend the
Stockholder  Protection Rights Agreement (the "Rights  Agreement"),  dated as of
March 21, 1996 and amended as of February 10, 1998 and October 13, 1998, between
PennFed Financial  Services,  Inc., a Maryland  corporation (the "Company"),  as
successor  by merger (the  "Merger")  to PennFed  Financial  Services,  Inc.,  a
Delaware corporation ("PennFed  Delaware"),  and Registrar and Transfer Company,
as Rights Agent (the "Rights Agent");

     WHEREAS,  the Merger  became  effective on October 30, 2003 pursuant to the
Plan of Reorganization  and Agreement of Merger,  dated as of September 16, 2003
(the "Merger Agreement"), between the Company and PennFed Delaware, for the sole
purpose of changing PennFed  Delaware's state of incorporation  from Delaware to
Maryland;

     WHEREAS,  upon  consummation of the Merger,  pursuant to Section 1.8 of the
Merger  Agreement,  all  outstanding  stock  purchase  rights  ("Stock  Purchase
Rights")  under the Rights  Agreement  were  assumed by the  Company  and became
rights to purchase the common stock,  par value $.01 per share,  of the Company,
with no other changes in the terms and conditions of such Stock Purchase Rights;

     WHEREAS,  in order to reflect the Company's  adoption and assumption of the
Rights  Agreement  as  successor  to  PennFed  Delaware,   and  to  reflect  the
aforementioned  change in the state of incorporation  from Delaware to Maryland,
the Company and the Rights Agent wish to amend the Rights Agreement as set forth
hereinbelow; and

     WHEREAS,  this  Amendment is in  accordance  with Section 5.4 of the Rights
Agreement.

     NOW THEREFORE, in consideration of the premises contained herein, and other
good and valuable consideration, it is agreed as follows:

1.   The first sentence of Section 2.2 of the Rights Agreement is hereby amended
     to read as follows:









     "2.2 Legend on Common Stock Certificates. Certificates for the Common Stock
          -----------------------------------
issued (whether  originally issued or from the Company's treasury account) after
the Record Time but prior to the  Separation  Time shall  evidence one Right for
each share of Common  Stock  represented  thereby and shall have  impressed  on,
printed  on,  written  on  or  otherwise  affixed  to  them  the  following  (or
substantially similar) legend:

     Until the Separation Time (as defined in the Rights  Agreement  referred to
     below),  this  certificate also evidences and entitles the holder hereof to
     certain  Rights as set forth in a Rights  Agreement,  dated as of March 21,
     1996 (as such has heretofore been and may hereafter be amended from time to
     time, the "Rights Agreement"),  between PennFed Financial Services, Inc., a
     Maryland  corporation  (the  "Company"),  as successor by merger to PennFed
     Financial  Services,  Inc.,  a  Delaware  corporation,  and  Registrar  and
     Transfer  Company,   as  Rights  Agent,  the  terms  of  which  are  hereby
     incorporated  herein  by  reference  and a copy of  which is on file at the
     principal executive offices of the Company. Under certain circumstances, as
     set forth in the Rights  Agreement,  such  Rights may be  redeemed,  may be
     exchanged  for shares of Common Stock or other  securities or assets of the
     Company,  may expire, may become void (if they are "Beneficially  Owned" by
     an "Acquiring Person" or an Affiliate or Associate  thereof,  as such terms
     are defined in the Rights  Agreement,  or by any  transferee  of any of the
     foregoing) or may be evidenced by separate  certificates  and may no longer
     be evidenced by this certificate.  The Company will mail or arrange for the
     mailing of a copy of the Rights Agreement to the holder of this certificate
     without charge promptly after the receipt of a written request therefor."

2.   Section  5.15 of the  Rights  Agreement  is hereby  amended  to read in its
     entirety as follows:

          "5.15  Governing  Law.  Except to the extent  governed by Federal law,
                 --------------
     this  Agreement  and each  Right  issued  hereunder  shall be  deemed to be
     governed  by and  construed  in  accordance  with the laws of the  State of
     Maryland,  without  giving effect to the  principles of conflict of laws of
     such state."

3.   The Company  hereby  expressly  assumes and adopts the Rights  Agreement as
     successor to PennFed Delaware, and, by virtue of Section 5.12 of the Rights
     Agreement,  all covenants and provisions of the Rights  Agreement by or for
     the benefit of PennFed  Delaware shall bind and inure to the benefit of the
     Company.  All references in the Rights Agreement to the "Company" following
     the  effective  time of the  Merger  shall be  deemed  to refer to  PennFed
     Financial Services, Inc., a Maryland corporation.

4.   This  Amendment  may be  executed in  counterparts,  which  together  shall
     constitute a single instrument.


                            [Signature page follows]




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          IN WITNESS WHEREOF, the undersigned have executed this Amendment as of
     this 30th day of October, 2003.



ATTEST:                                         PENNFED FINANCIAL SERVICES, INC.




/s/ Patrick D. McTernan                         By:    /s/ Joseph L. LaMonica
- -----------------------                                ----------------------
Patrick D. McTernan                                    Joseph L. LaMonica
Secretary                                              President and Chief
                                                       Executive Officer



ATTEST:                                         REGISTRAR AND TRANSFER COMPANY



By:    /s/ Mary Rose Cascaes                    By:    /s/ Thomas L. Montrone
       ----------------------------                    -----------------------
Name:  Mary Rose Cascaes                        Name:  Thomas L. Montrone
       ----------------------------                    -----------------------
Title: Executive Vice President and             Title: President and
       ----------------------------                    -----------------------
       Chief Operating Officer                         Chief Executive Officer
       ----------------------------                    -----------------------




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