FAIR VALUE OF FINANCIAL INSTRUMENTS (Assets and Liabilities Measured at Fair Value) (Details) - USD ($) $ in Thousands	Dec. 31, 2023	Dec. 31, 2022
Reported Value Measurement [Member]
Fair Value, Assets and Liabilities Measured on Recurring and Nonrecurring Basis [Line Items]
Other borrowings	$ 182,877	$ 232,799
Reported Value Measurement [Member] | Interest Rate Contract [Member]
Fair Value, Assets and Liabilities Measured on Recurring and Nonrecurring Basis [Line Items]
Derivative assets	275	142
Derivative liabilities	185	118
Reported Value Measurement [Member] | Level 1 [Member]
Fair Value, Assets and Liabilities Measured on Recurring and Nonrecurring Basis [Line Items]
Cash and Cash Equivalents, Fair Value Disclosure	254,464	243,062
Equity Securities, FV-NI	449	553
Bank-owned life insurance	304,366	297,565
Reported Value Measurement [Member] | Level 2 [Member]
Fair Value, Assets and Liabilities Measured on Recurring and Nonrecurring Basis [Line Items]
Securities—available-for-sale	2,348,479	2,789,031
Debt Securities, Held-to-maturity, Fair Value	1,052,028	1,109,319
Securities purchased under agreements to resell	0	300,000
Loans receivable held for sale	11,170	56,857
Deposits, Demand NOW and Money Market Accounts, Fair Value Disclosure	8,571,500	10,186,439
Deposits, Savings, Fair Value Disclosure	2,980,530	2,710,090
Deposits, Certificates of Deposit, Fair Value Disclosure	1,477,467	723,530
Advances from FHLB	323,000	50,000
Subordinated notes, net		98,947
Reported Value Measurement [Member] | Level 2 [Member] | Interest Rate Swap [Member]
Fair Value, Assets and Liabilities Measured on Recurring and Nonrecurring Basis [Line Items]
Derivative assets	15,129	19,339
Derivative liabilities	29,809	37,150
Reported Value Measurement [Member] | Level 2 [Member] | Loan Participations and Assignments
Fair Value, Assets and Liabilities Measured on Recurring and Nonrecurring Basis [Line Items]
Derivative liabilities	42	67
Reported Value Measurement [Member] | Fair Value, Inputs, Level 3 [Member]
Fair Value, Assets and Liabilities Measured on Recurring and Nonrecurring Basis [Line Items]
Trading Securities, Fair Value	0	28,694
Securities—available-for-sale	25,304	0
Debt Securities, Held-to-maturity, Fair Value	7,027	8,648
Loans receivable	10,660,812	10,005,259
FHLB stock	24,028	12,000
MSRs	13,909	15,331
SBA servicing asset	740	835
Investments in limited partnerships	13,475	12,427
Junior subordinated debentures net of unamortized deferred issuance costs at fair value	66,413	74,857
Estimate of Fair Value Measurement [Member] | Interest Rate Contract [Member]
Fair Value, Assets and Liabilities Measured on Recurring and Nonrecurring Basis [Line Items]
Derivative assets	275	142
Derivative liabilities	185	118
Estimate of Fair Value Measurement [Member] | Level 1 [Member]
Fair Value, Assets and Liabilities Measured on Recurring and Nonrecurring Basis [Line Items]
Cash and Cash Equivalents, Fair Value Disclosure	254,464	243,062
Equity Securities, FV-NI	449	553
Bank-owned life insurance	304,366	297,565
Estimate of Fair Value Measurement [Member] | Level 2 [Member]
Fair Value, Assets and Liabilities Measured on Recurring and Nonrecurring Basis [Line Items]
Securities—available-for-sale	2,348,479	2,789,031
Debt Securities, Held-to-maturity, Fair Value	900,522	933,513
Securities purchased under agreements to resell	0	300,000
Loans receivable held for sale	11,219	56,948
Deposits, Demand NOW and Money Market Accounts, Fair Value Disclosure	8,571,500	10,186,439
Deposits, Savings, Fair Value Disclosure	2,980,530	2,710,090
Deposits, Certificates of Deposit, Fair Value Disclosure	1,465,612	702,581
Advances from FHLB	323,000	50,000
Other borrowings	182,877	232,799
Subordinated notes, net	85,536	96,718
Estimate of Fair Value Measurement [Member] | Level 2 [Member] | Interest Rate Swap [Member]
Fair Value, Assets and Liabilities Measured on Recurring and Nonrecurring Basis [Line Items]
Derivative assets	15,129	19,339
Derivative liabilities	29,809	37,150
Estimate of Fair Value Measurement [Member] | Level 2 [Member] | Loan Participations and Assignments
Fair Value, Assets and Liabilities Measured on Recurring and Nonrecurring Basis [Line Items]
Derivative liabilities	42	67
Estimate of Fair Value Measurement [Member] | Fair Value, Inputs, Level 3 [Member]
Fair Value, Assets and Liabilities Measured on Recurring and Nonrecurring Basis [Line Items]
Trading Securities, Fair Value	0	28,694
Securities—available-for-sale	25,304	0
Debt Securities, Held-to-maturity, Fair Value	6,992	8,667
Loans receivable	10,250,271	9,810,965
FHLB stock	24,028	12,000
MSRs	35,794	35,148
SBA servicing asset	740	835
Investments in limited partnerships	13,475	12,427
Junior subordinated debentures net of unamortized deferred issuance costs at fair value	66,413	74,857
Trading Securities, Fair Value	0	28,694
Securities—available-for-sale	2,373,783	2,789,031
Debt Securities, Held-to-maturity, Fair Value	907,514	942,180
Securities purchased under agreements to resell	0	300,000
Loans receivable held for sale	9,105	51,779
Advances from FHLB	323,000	$ 50,000
Subordinated notes, net	$ 92,851