The ballpoint pen
Who
László Bíró, Hungarian-Jewish journalist and inventor
When
1938
Where
Budapest, Hungary (later Argentina)
László Bíró patented the modern ballpoint pen, which uses a tiny rotating ball and quick-drying ink instead of a nib. A Hungarian Jew, Bíró fled Nazi persecution to Argentina, where the pen was commercialized; in many countries a ballpoint is still called a 'biro'.
Sources
Part of “The Gifts of the Jews” — verified Jewish contributions to the world, with sources.