Are converts to Judaism considered inferior in any way to Jews who are ethnically Jewish?

Question

I use the word "inferior" for want of a better word as it has negative connotations, try to disregard those connotations when reading the question.

I'm wondering if someone converts to Judaism, are they regarded as being "100% Jewish" and on the same level as someone who has been a Jew for life and actually has Jewish blood running through their veins? Or will they be forever prevented from becoming "Fully Jew" because they are not ethically Jewish?

Follow up question: If they are indeed considered to be fully Jew, does that mean that their children are considered "Ethnically Jewish"?

The reason I ask is because I've heard that there are some ancient Jewish communities in India and China, but they are ethnically Indian and Chinese. So I'm wondering "Are these guys the real deal? Are they considered 100% authentic Jews?"

Answer 1

Note the Mishnah in Horayos 13a:

כהן קודם ללוי. לוי לישראל. ישראל לממזר. וממזר לנתין. ונתין לגר. וגר לעבד משוחרר. אימתי בזמן שכולן שוין. אבל אם היה ממזר תלמיד חכם. וכהן גדול עם הארץ. ממזר תלמיד חכם. קודם לכהן גדול עם הארץ:

A Kohen comes before a Levi, who comes before a Yisrael, who comes before a Mamzer, who comes before a Nasin, who comes before a Geir, who comes before a freed slave. When is this? When they are all equal. But between a Mamzer Talmid Chacham and a Kohen Gadol Am Haaretz, the Mamzer Talmid Chacham comes before the Kohen Gadol Am Haaretz.

Also, the Gemara in Kiddushin 75a notes that a geir may marry a mamzeres, something a born-Jew may not do.

Do note the passuk quoted in @ezra's answer that one may not put down a geir. To paraphrase the Mishnah BM 58b, one violates Ona'as Devarim by reminding a geir of his sinful past.

Answer 2

Aside from the things mentioned in other responses, Maimonides says in Melachim 1:4

A king should not be appointed from converts to Judaism. This applies even if the convert's ancestors had been Jewish for many generations, unless his mother [or father1] is a native-born Israelite, as Deuteronomy 17:15 states: 'You may not appoint a foreigner who is not one of your brethren.'

This does not apply to the monarchy alone, but to all positions of authority within Israel. A convert may not serve as an army commander, a leader of fifty, or as a leader of ten. He may not even supervise the allocation of water from a stream to various fields.

Needless to say, a judge or a nasi should only be a native-born Israelite, as it is stated (ibid.): 'Appoint a king over you from among your brethren.' This implies that all appointments must only be 'from your brethren.'

The specifics of how and when this applies is discussed in various sources.

This also answers your second question of how it applies to their children. Once one of the parents are a native Jew, the prohibition doesn't apply. So coming from an ethnically Chinese (or other) background wouldn't matter so long as somewhere down the line one of the parents was ethnically Jewish.

In addition to what DonielF and Ezra wrote about Ona'as Devarim by a convert, I'll also point out that the Gemara in Bava Metzia 59a says that one who commits Ona'as Devarim to a convert transgresses three prohibitions: the regular prohibition that applies to all Jews, plus to additional ones in Shemos 22:2 and Vayikra 19:33.

Answer 3

I see no better answer to this question than Leviticus 19:4:

כְּאֶזְרָח מִכֶּם יִהְיֶה לָכֶם הַגֵּר הַגָּר אִתְּכֶם, וְאָהַבְתָּ לוֹ כָּמוֹךָ--כִּי-גֵרִים הֱיִיתֶם, בְּאֶרֶץ מִצְרָיִם: אֲנִי, יְהוָה אֱלֹהֵיכֶם

The stranger that sojourneth with you shall be unto you as the home-born among you, and thou shalt love him as thyself; for ye were strangers in the land of Egypt: I am the LORD your God.

(Translation taken from mechon-mamre.org)

This verse clearly outlines that we should treat those who convert to Judaism in no way different to those who are born into the religion. That is, we should not remind the convert that he converted. He should be treated with the same respect as a native-born Jew.

There are, however, certain positions a convert may not hold. For instance, he may not be a king over the Jewish People, and a convert can not marry a Cohen. But this does not keep a convert from becoming a rabbi or holding a position in a Jewish relgious court.

The children of a female convert are considered 100% Jewish and do not need to undergo conversion, that is, as long as their mother converted before they were born.

You might be interested in this question, as it deals with conversion and who is considered Jewish, as well as this question and answer.