Ownership Submission
FORM 4
Check this box if no longer subject to Section 16. Form 4 or Form 5 obligations may continue. See Instruction 1(b).
UNITED STATES SECURITIES AND EXCHANGE COMMISSION
Washington, D.C. 20549

STATEMENT OF CHANGES IN BENEFICIAL OWNERSHIP OF SECURITIES

Filed pursuant to Section 16(a) of the Securities Exchange Act of 1934, Section 17(a) of the Public Utility Holding Company Act of 1935 or Section 30(h) of the Investment Company Act of 1940
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(Print or Type Responses)
1. Name and Address of Reporting Person *
ESKOW ALAN D
  2. Issuer Name and Ticker or Trading Symbol
VALLEY NATIONAL BANCORP [VLY]
5. Relationship of Reporting Person(s) to Issuer
(Check all applicable)
_____ Director _____ 10% Owner
__X__ Officer (give title below) _____ Other (specify below)
Senior EVP & CFO
(Last)
(First)
(Middle)
1455 VALLEY ROAD
3. Date of Earliest Transaction (Month/Day/Year)
11/17/2009
(Street)

WAYNE, NJ 07470-
4. If Amendment, Date Original Filed(Month/Day/Year)
6. Individual or Joint/Group Filing(Check Applicable Line)
_X_ Form filed by One Reporting Person
___ Form filed by More than One Reporting Person
(City)
(State)
(Zip)
Table I - Non-Derivative Securities Acquired, Disposed of, or Beneficially Owned
1.Title of Security
(Instr. 3)
2. Transaction Date (Month/Day/Year) 2A. Deemed Execution Date, if any (Month/Day/Year) 3. Transaction Code
(Instr. 8)
4. Securities Acquired (A) or Disposed of (D)
(Instr. 3, 4 and 5)
5. Amount of Securities Beneficially Owned Following Reported Transaction(s)
(Instr. 3 and 4)
6. Ownership Form: Direct (D) or Indirect (I)
(Instr. 4)
7. Nature of Indirect Beneficial Ownership
(Instr. 4)
Code V Amount (A) or (D) Price
Common Stock 11/17/2009   A   7,013 (3) A $ 0 125,306 D (1) (2)  
Common Stock 11/17/2009   J   48 (1) A $ 0 861 I (1) Ira/wife
Common Stock (401k Plan)               3,189 D (4)  

Reminder: Report on a separate line for each class of securities beneficially owned directly or indirectly.
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Table II - Derivative Securities Acquired, Disposed of, or Beneficially Owned
(e.g., puts, calls, warrants, options, convertible securities)
1. Title of Derivative Security
(Instr. 3)
2. Conversion or Exercise Price of Derivative Security 3. Transaction Date (Month/Day/Year) 3A. Deemed Execution Date, if any (Month/Day/Year) 4. Transaction Code
(Instr. 8)
5. Number of Derivative Securities Acquired (A) or Disposed of (D)
(Instr. 3, 4, and 5)
6. Date Exercisable and Expiration Date
(Month/Day/Year)
7. Title and Amount of Underlying Securities
(Instr. 3 and 4)
8. Price of Derivative Security
(Instr. 5)
9. Number of Derivative Securities Beneficially Owned Following Reported Transaction(s)
(Instr. 4)
10. Ownership Form of Derivative Security: Direct (D) or Indirect (I)
(Instr. 4)
11. Nature of Indirect Beneficial Ownership
(Instr. 4)
Code V (A) (D) Date Exercisable Expiration Date Title Amount or Number of Shares
Stock Option/NQ $ 17.8762             11/27/2002 11/27/2011 Common Stock 12,059   12,059 D  
Stock Options $ 15.1524             11/28/2001 11/28/2010 Common Stock 5,276   5,276 D  
Stock Options $ 17.8762             11/27/2002 11/27/2011 Common Stock 7,290   7,290 D  
Stock Options $ 18.7238             11/18/2003 11/18/2012 Common Stock 11,865   11,865 D  
Stock Options $ 21.8286             11/17/2004 11/17/2013 Common Stock 16,082   16,082 D  
Stock Options $ 21.9143             11/16/2005 11/16/2014 Common Stock 15,316   15,316 D  
Stock Options $ 20.2952             11/14/2006 11/14/2015 Common Stock 17,624   17,624 D  
Stock Options $ 22.2095             11/13/2007 11/13/2016 Common Stock 19,101   19,101 D  
Stock Options $ 16.9619             02/12/2009 02/12/2018 Common Stock 18,192   18,192 D  

Reporting Owners

Reporting Owner Name / Address Relationships
 Director  10% Owner  Officer  Other
ESKOW ALAN D
1455 VALLEY ROAD
WAYNE, NJ 07470-
      Senior EVP & CFO  

Signatures

 /s/ ALAN D. ESKOW   11/19/2009
**Signature of Reporting Person Date

Explanation of Responses:

* If the form is filed by more than one reporting person, see Instruction 4(b)(v).
** Intentional misstatements or omissions of facts constitute Federal Criminal Violations. See 18 U.S.C. 1001 and 15 U.S.C. 78ff(a).
(1) Adjusted for additional shares acquired through Dividend Reinvestment Plan.
(2) Valley National Bancorp declared a 5% dividend on April 14, 2009, issued on May 22, 2009 to shareholders of record on May 8, 2009.
(3) Restricted stock granted under the Valley National Bancorp 2009 Long Term Stock Incentive Plan. Under the TARP rules, the restricted stock grants cannot vest for a period of two years following the grant date. If the TARP funds are repaid, the restricted stock may be subject to a three year vesting period.
(4) Holdings under the Valley 401K Plan has been updated to reflect reporting officer's balance in the Plan.

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