UNITED STATES
                       SECURITIES AND EXCHANGE COMMISSION
                             Washington, D.C. 20549


                                    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): May 5, 2008

                             ORITANI FINANCIAL CORP.
             (Exact name of registrant as specified in its charter)

      United States                       001-33223            22-3617996
------------------------------      --------------------     ---------------
(State or other jurisdiction        (Commission File No.)     (IRS Employer
  of incorporation)                                          Identification No.)



370 Pascack Road, Township of Washington, New Jersey             07676
----------------------------------------------------         ---------------
  (Address of principal executive offices)                     (Zip Code)


Registrant's telephone number, including area code:  (201) 664-5400
                                                     --------------


                                 Not Applicable
          (Former name or former address, if changed since last report)


Check  the  appropriate  box  below  if the  Form  8-K  filing  is  intended  to
simultaneously  satisfy the filing obligation of the registrant under any of the
following provisions:

[  ] Written communications  pursuant to Rule 425 under the Securities Act (17
     CFR 230.425)

[  ] Soliciting  material  pursuant to Rule 14a-12 under the Exchange Act (17
     CFR 240.14a-12)

[  ] Pre-commencement  communications  pursuant  to Rule  14d-2(b)  under the
     Exchange Act (17 CFR 240.14d-2(b))

[  ] Pre-commencement  communications  pursuant  to Rule  13e-4(c)  under the
     Exchange Act (17 CFR 240.13e-4(c))





Item 5.02 Departure of Directors or Principals Officers;  Election of Directors;
Appointment of Certain Officers; Compensatory Arrangements of Certain Officers.

     On May 5, 2008, the Board of Directors approved the granting of stock
options and restricted stock awards to the executive officers of the Company
listed below:


                               

   Executive Officer   Number of Options   Number of Shares of Restricted Stock
   -----------------   -----------------   ------------------------------------
     Kevin J. Lynch             397,411                   198,706
     Michael A. DeBernardi      178,835                    95,379
     John M. Fields, Jr.        178,835                    95,379
     Thomas Guinan              178,835                    95,379
     Philip M. Wyks              26,494                    15,000
     Anne Mooradian              26,494                    15,000
     Roseanne Buscemi            26,494                    15,000
     Paul M. Cordero             19,871                    10,000


     The  grants  were  made in  accordance  with the  terms of the 2007  Equity
Incentive  Plan,  which was approved by the  stockholders  at the April 22, 2008
special meeting of stockholders.  All of the options vest in equal  installments
over a five-year  period,  commencing on May 5, 2009, which is one year from the
date of the grant, and have an exercise price of $15.65 per share, which was the
closing  market  price/last  sale price of the Company's  common stock on May 5,
2008,  the date of the grant.  The  restricted  stock  awards also vest in equal
installments over a five-year  period,  commencing one year from the date of the
grant (May 5, 2009).  The vesting of the options  and  restricted  stock  awards
accelerate  upon death or  disability,  retirement,  involuntary  termination of
employment following a change in control, and upon consummation of a second step
conversion of Oritani  Financial Corp., MHC, and the grants have other terms and
conditions consistent with the 2007 Equity Incentive Plan. Including the options
and restricted stock shares granted with respect to the above-named  officers, a
total of 1,311,457  options and 588,169 shares of restricted  stock were granted
to officers and employees of the Company.

     Each  outside  director  of  the  Company  was  granted  51,663  shares  of
restricted  stock and an option to purchase  119,223 shares of common stock. The
options vest in equal installments over a five-year period,  commencing one year
from the date of the grant  (May 5, 2009) and have an  exercise  price of $15.65
per share,  which was the closing market  price/last sale price of the Company's
common stock on May 5, 2008, the date of the grant.  The restricted stock awards
also vest in equal  installments  over a five-year  period,  commencing one year
from the date of the  grant  (May 5,  2009).  The  vesting  of the  options  and
restricted  stock  awards  accelerate  upon  death  or  disability,  retirement,
involuntary  termination  of service  following  a change in  control,  and upon
consummation of a second step conversion of Oritani  Financial  Corp.,  MHC, and
the grants  have other  terms and  conditions  consistent  with the 2007  Equity
Incentive Plan.

                                       2




Item 9.01.  Financial Statements and Exhibits.

(a) Not Applicable.

(b) Not Applicable.

(c) Not Applicable.

(d) Exhibits.

                                   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, hereunto duly authorized.

                           ORITANI FINACIAL CORP.



DATE:  May 7, 2008         By:    /s/ Kevin J. Lynch
                                  ---------------------------------------------
                                  Kevin J. Lynch
                                  President and Chief Executive Officer





                                       3