Debt forgiveness (the Jubilee)
Who
A social institution of the Hebrew Bible / Torah, not a single individual
When
Ancient (biblical text, first millennium BCE)
Where
Ancient Israel
The Jubilee is a biblical institution, set out in Leviticus 25, in which every fiftieth year debts were released, indentured servants freed and ancestral land returned to families. It embedded the radical idea that economic debt should not become permanent bondage, giving people a periodic fresh start. This Torah concept influenced later Western thinking on debt relief, and its name inspired modern campaigns for the cancellation of poor countries' debts.
Part of “The Gifts of the Jews” — verified Jewish contributions to the world, with sources.