SECURITIES AND EXCHANGE COMMISSION

                             WASHINGTON, D.C. 20549


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                                    FORM 8-K

                                 CURRENT REPORT

                     Pursuant to Section 13 or 15(d) of the
                         Securities Exchange Act of 1934


        Date of Report (Date of earliest event reported) August 25, 1997


                                BRT REALTY TRUST
               (Exact name of registrant as specified in charter)




                        Massachusetts I-7172 13-2755886
    (State or other (Commission file No.) (IRS Employer jurisdiction of I.D.
                              No.) incorporation)


           60 Cutter Mill Road, Suite 303, Great Neck, New York 11021
              (Address of principal executive offices) (Zip code)


        Registrant's telephone number, including area code 516-466-3100








Item 5. - Other Events


     On August 25, 1997 David G. Herold (55 years of age) was elected as a Class
I Trustee to serve for a term  expiring at the annual  meeting to be held in the
year 2000. Mr. Herold served as President and Chief  Executive  Officer of Metro
Bancshares, Inc. from 1988 to 1994 and for more than five years prior thereto he
served  as  President  of its  predecessor  Bayside  Federal  Savings  and  Loan
Association.  Since the acquisition of Metro Bancshares, Inc. by North Fork Bank
Mr. Herold has been acting as a consultant.

On August 25, 1997 the Board of Trustees of the Trust  authorized  a purchase of
an additional  250,000 shares of the Trusts' beneficial shares from time to time
over the facilities of the New York Stock  Exchange or in private  transactions.
The Board of Trustees had  previously  authorized  the purchase of up to 500,000
shares and as of August 25,  1997 the Trust had  purchased  404,105  shares at a
total cost of $2,658,914.








                                   Signatures

Pursuant  to the  requirements  of the  Securities  Exchange  Act of  1934,  the
Registrant  has duly  caused  this  report  to be  signed  on its  behalf by the
undersigned thereunto duly authorized.


                                                     BRT REALTY TRUST





Date:  September 2, 1997

         By:(s)
         Simeon Brinberg
         --------------- 
         Simeon Brinberg, Secretary