The bendy straw
Who
Joseph B. Friedman, an American Jewish inventor from Cleveland, Ohio.
When
1937
Where
United States
The bendable drinking straw was invented by Joseph Friedman, who inserted a screw into a paper straw and crimped ridges so it would bend over the edge of a glass. He patented it in 1937 and later founded the Flex-Straw Company; the design is now standard in hospitals and homes worldwide.
Part of “The Gifts of the Jews” — verified Jewish contributions to the world, with sources.