NEWS RELEASE

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
December 19, 2002

                            Contact: John S. Fiore, President and Chief
                                                Executive Officer
                                              Ralph A. Fernandez, Vice President
                                                and Chief Financial Officer
                                              Synergy Financial Group
                                              Synergy Bank
                                              310 North Avenue East
                                              Cranford, NJ  07016
                                              (908) 956-3287


           SYNERGY BANK ANNOUNCES SHAREHOLDER AND REGULATORY APPROVAL
                   OF MERGER WTIH FIRST BANK OF CENTRAL JERSEY

     CRANFORD,  NJ, December 19, 2002 -- Synergy  Financial Group,  Inc. and its
wholly-owned subsidiary,  Synergy Bank, Cranford, New Jersey, announced that its
Agreement  and Plan of Merger to acquire  First Bank of  Central  Jersey,  North
Brunswick,  New Jersey  ("First  Bank") was  approved  by the  required  vote of
stockholders  of First Bank on December 18, 2002. In addition,  Synergy Bank has
previously received all required regulatory  approvals for its merger with First
Bank.

     The  closing of the  merger is  expected  to occur on  December  31,  2002.
Pursuant to the merger agreement,  First Bank's  shareholders will receive $2.82
per share in cash for each share of First  Bank  capital  stock  they own.  Upon
consummation  of the  merger,  First Bank will merge into  Synergy  Bank and the
deposit  and loan  accountholders  of First Bank will become  accountholders  of
Synergy Bank.

     Synergy Bank currently operates 16 offices in Middlesex,  Monmouth,  Morris
and Union  Counties,  New Jersey.  As of September  30, 2002,  Synergy had total
assets of  approximately  $416  million  while  First  Bank had total  assets of
approximately $57 million. First Bank currently operates out of its headquarters
in North Brunswick and one bank branch in Monroe, New Jersey.

     This document may contain forward-looking  statements. We caution that such
statements  may be subject to  uncertainties  and actual  results  could  differ
materially  and,  therefore,  investors  should not place undue  reliance on any
forward-looking  statements.  Synergy and First Bank  specifically  disclaim any
obligation to publicly  release the results of any revisions that may be made to
any  forward-looking  statements  to  reflect  the  occurrence  of any events or
circumstances after the date of such statements.