EXHIBIT 23.3    CONSENT OF FONTANELLA AND BABITTS

 
              [LETTERHEAD OF FONTANELLA AND BABITTS APPEARS HERE]



Board of Directors
West Essex Bank, FSB
417 Bloomfield Avenue
Caldwell, New Jersey 07006

                                    CONSENT
                                    -------


We hereby consent to the filing of the New Jersey Tax Opinion, relating to 
Reorganization of the West Essex Bank, FSB from a federally chartered mutual 
savings bank to a two-tier mutual holding company structure in which the Mutual 
Company, Bancorp, and Stock Bank will be chartered by the Office of Thrift 
Supervision and also the Federal and New Jersey Tax Opinion relating to the 
income tax deductibility of the common stock and cash donation of the Bancorp to
the Charitable Private Foundation as exhibits to the Registration Statement on 
Form S-1 filed by the Company; the Application H-(e)1 filed by the Company; the 
Notice of Mutual Holding Company Reorganization, Form MHC-1 filed by West Essex 
Bank, F.S.B.; and the Application for Approval of a Minority Stock Issuance by a
Savings Association Subsidiary of a Mutual Holding Company, Form MHC-2 filed by 
the Company.

                                                   /s/ Fontanella and Babitts

                                                       Fontanella and Babitts

Dated this 12th day of
June, 1998